Their Love Story
by Alonia143
Summary: With a little help from his family and friends, Leo finally sees that his love for Arienne is real and strong. What could possibly happen? Please Read and review, Thank you. Set within the 2k3 series!
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Okay so it's been 2 ½ years since I wrote anything TMNT. Excuse my writing if it is rusty. This is a continuation of Leo's Faith; a short series of Leo and Ari. If you haven't read that, then you should to understand the relationship between Leonardo and Arienne.**_

_**Hope you guys enjoy this. Please Read and Review, thank you. Also I don't own the Turtles.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 1.**_

A soft sigh exited out of her as she looked out her window.

It has been 2 years since she last saw of him but, she knew that he was always looking out for her. It was the little things that she noticed when she moved a block away from Central Park; the taxes were extremely high and she couldn't afford the house anymore.

There were a couple of gangs that she knew of; the Purple Dragons and the Foot ninjas. All hanging around her neighborhood, but within a week all of them were gone and more normal people started to move in.

If she had forgotten her coffee or tea, she would walk inside but when she came back with her own homemade cup, a Starbucks paper cup would be there with a hand drawn smiley turtle.

She has missed Leo so much since they last spoken out at Casey's farm house. Her warm hazel brown eyes glanced over to the two pictures that she took from there.

It had a strange being in it. It was that of guy in a turtle costume within a defensive move, holding both of his katanas. And then within the other one it was goofier, personal. He had his blue mask off, smiling and was all wet, either from a shower or from a swim.

She wanted to believe that it was just a guy in a turtle costume; however her memory served her wrong. With the few times that she got to see Leo, those memories matched perfectly with that of the two pictures.

Arienne had also found Cody's family; he was reunited with his mom and taught her how to cook pancakes and such.

Ari was so happy to read that from him. She also kept in touch with Casey until 2 years ago everything stopped.

No phone calls, stop by the house, nothing. She was concerned but things happen.

She turned off her lamp light and went to bed, however her heart and mind was with the one person or Ninja that she wanted to see and talk to again.

The next day, Ari was up and already ready for work. Within the past 2 years she had gone from working from behind the scenes of the art museum to being the head of her department.

Today she had to give a tour at noon and catalog new items that were coming in from Japan. Every time that something new came in from Japan, her heart ached. The item or items always reminded her of Leo.

The day went by fairly quickly Ari had gotten an old Japanese scroll that was on display at once with some armor, swords and clothes from the 11th century.

She was just cleaning up as it was now 10 PM when she was making her rounds. The museum closed at 9 but sometimes there were those occasions where someone forgot the time or didn't know it or acted stupid about it.

Her eyes looked over the armor of her new exhibit and even though she was proud of displaying it to the public, her heart softly sang to her.

"Oh Leo, I wish we could speak again," she softly whispered to herself as she looked at the scroll one more time.

Then the lights went out. Looking around frighten now, she couldn't see anything. Light footsteps could be heard when the emergency lights came on and when they did, they blinded everyone.

"HEY!" She said when she saw one of them holding the scroll and then the alarms going off for the police. "Give it back!"

"Or what are you going to do? You can't hurt us," one of them smoothly replied back as Ari didn't know what to do now.

Trying her best, she ran up and grabbed the scroll back but in doing so, she felt something sink into her arm as she groaned out in pain, making her drop the scroll back into the foot's hands again.

A round little gray ball clanked to the floor and then smoke came out of it, it made Ari start to cough horribly as the smoke made everything disappear in a way.

WHACK!

THUMP!

CRACK!

She got to her knees as the smoke lifted but what she saw were the black foot ninjas out cold and green two footed legs standing off in the distance.

"Their getting away, Leo!" One voice said as Ari knew that name.

"What about her? We can't just leave her here!" said another.

"Ari? Ari?" she heard Leo's voice but had passed out from the smoke.

Leo had not seen her in such a long time, he was really surprised to see her here but he knew that she took her job seriously.

Gently scooping her up, Leo then said "Leave them, we have to get out of here,"

Sirens could be heard as the turtle brothers disappeared from the museum.

Once they got underground, Leo walking hurriedly, his brothers looked at him with the woman in his arms.

"Who is she Leo?" Mikey asked him.

"Her name is Arienne. I call her Air for short," he replied, keeping his eyes forward.

"She is the one who you were worried about when the Triceratons came looking for Doctor Honeycutt," Raph stated as Leo nodded silently.

"She was also the one who you went and visited daily up at Casey's farm house," Donny then said as Leo sighed.

"Yes. She has been my secret friend for a long time now and I didn't want any of you to know of her because of how our life style is. If the Shredder, Agent Bishop or anyone else knew of her, they would try and use her against me. And I couldn't see her getting hurt, used or anything else. Now that the Foot knows of her, I can't do anything about it," Leo explained solemnly to them all as he continued to walk to their home.

Donny gently put his hand on Leo's back as he knew what Leo was talking about. It was the same way that Casey and April go through with them on a daily basis.

As the turtles walked into their lair, Master Splinter had the TV on but got up and walked over as Leo put Ari on the couch.

"Leonardo," he said but Leo walked away and everyone just left him alone.

Something had changed within his personality and mood. He seemed angry. Irritable, calm but so irate.

Leo got the wash cloth, warm bowl of water and walked back to where Ari was at.

"My son, what is wrong? And who is this?" their father asked him as he grounded his teeth to keep his tongue in check.

"Her name is Arienne. I've known her for some time Master Splinter. I kept her hidden from everyone, as I just got finished telling my brothers, I didn't want her life to become hectic or threatening with our enemies," he replied forcefully.

Master Splinter knew that gleam within his son's eyes. He had seen it within his master, Master Yoshi, when his love, Tang Shen, had died long ago. He walked slowly over to Leonardo who had gently put the wringed out wash cloth over Ari's forehead.

"My son, do not be angry that our enemy knows of her now. You did a great job at keeping her away from them, but they would have known of her sooner-"

"Master Splinter, with all due respect, I wanted her to never know of our life," Leo cut in as Donny then thought of something.

"That is why you suddenly stopped sneaking off," he said.

"Yes. I had hoped that she would forget about me and move on with her life. But, I couldn't ignore her after what has happened between us. So I started to do the little things to keep that hope alive for the two of us," he explained but felt so horrible for keeping his distance from his friend.

Master Splinter gently patted his oldest son's shoulder and said "Why not make her some tea and food before she wakes up?"

"Thank you Sensei," Leo told him as he got up and walked into the kitchen.

"Leo seems to have a big crush on her," Mikey whispered low to Raph and everyone else.

"He is not crushing over Ari, Mikey," Donny explained as he then went to go get his first aid kit when he saw the blood stain on her sleeve. "He is in love with her but just doesn't know it yet,"

"But does she love him in return?" Raph then popped off as everyone looked at the sleeping woman on the couch.

* * *

Leo was sitting on the couch with Ari; she was resting in his lap on a pillow. Over the couple of years that he had not seen her up close, he had grown, matured and became wiser. He had a fall out with Karai but had learned that Ari was right: Karai just wanted to kill and use him and his family.

"I am so sorry Ari," he whispered low to her, gently petting her hair and shoulders.

She moved in his lap as he stilled and watched her.

"Mm…Leo?" she said, coming to now.

He leaned down and softly said "I'm here Ari, I'm here,"

She calmed down as he sighed as he wondered if she would react how April reacted when she woke up. His hand moved to Ari's hip when he felt a piece of paper in her pocket. He gently took it out and saw that it was the pictures that his family took long ago up at Casey's farm house.

"I had wondered where these had gone to," He said more to himself as he put it back.

But now that he knew that she knew what he looked like, he didn't mind it. It was long overdue on her knowing what he was anyway.

Slowly Arienne opened her eyes as her vision was a bit blurry but after blinking a few times, it came into focus.

"Ari?" Leo asked her nervously as she then looked up at him.

Her reaction was slow but she gasped and looked at him with wide eyes.

"It's okay, it's me, Leonardo," he said softly to her, gently rubbing her side to calm her down.

She just looked at him, taking in what she has seen before. But, to actually see him in the daylight or lamp light is completely different.

"L-Leo?" she asked him confused.

He slowly nodded to her as she reached up and very gently cupped his face. It was smooth but cool to her touch. Closing his eyes Leo leaned into her hand as he smiled.

Leo's family walked slowly over to them as Mikey then said "So you're the girlfriend that my brother has been seeing lately?"

"Mikey!" Donny and Raph scolded him.

"Michelangelo! Manners," Master Splinter hissed at him too.

Ari had looked over her shoulder and a little frighten by the over grown rat, she cuddled more into Leo who didn't mind it but softly rubbed her hip.

"These are my brothers and father Ari. Remember what I told you of them?" he expressed as she looked at each one of them before nodding and relaxing into Leo's arms.

"Yes, just it's slow to remember things," she replied back, looking at Donny and Raph mostly.

"Raphael and Donatello, you know Mikey already. And this is our father, Master Splinter," Leo explained to her.

"You guys are so much different then what Leo has described you guys as," she told them all as it was then that Leo blushed and looked away as Donny smiled.

"Yeah? How so?" Raph popped off next as he got a warning look from Master Splinter.

"Well it's been a couple of years since I last talked to Leo and well…he always says that you guys are a handful," she said back with a shrug.

Donny walked over to her and then sat down and said "Well we have matured since you last heard of us Arienne,"

Curiosity getting the best of her she gently reached out and took his mask ties into her hands. Shock or surprise wouldn't begin to tell you how soft they were in her hands.

"You like them?" Leo asked her, as if she was a little girl but she blushed and shied away.

"Yeah, there so soft," She said back keeping her eyes down as she saw Leo's mask in front of her.

A couple of gasps could be heard but, Ari remained silent as she looked at Leonardo's bare face. His golden eyes were warm and inviting unlike the white flash that she usually saw whenever he was at her old house.

Leo was blushing a bit as she saw him without his mask while his brothers were shocked that he was this comfortable around this young woman.

"Miss-"

"You can call me Arienne, Master Splinter," she interrupted him as she didn't like to be called by her last name anymore.

Leonardo gently sat up with her in his lap as she snuggled into him, closing her eyes.

"Mm...Yes Arienne," Master Splinter said, taking all of this in as Leo whispered something to her as she curled her hand on his chest plate and firmly shook her head at him.

Leo kept his arms around her as he knew she had fallen asleep again. Donny checked on her arm again as she barely moved.

"You seem really comfortable around her, Leo," he whispered low.

"I've known her before we knew Karai if that helps Donny," Leo whispered back to him.

"It does and it also explains why you were so lusting for Karai. Arienne looks almost like her, except her hair is a bit lighter brown and her eyes are brown with green," Donny said to him, cleaning her wound and rewrapping it.

Leo sighed "I don't want her to leave Donny,"

"Then what can we do? We can't keep her down here either," he expressed concerned for him.

"Maybe heading to Casey's Farm house will be good?"

"Maybe, but she has a job remember?"

"I know,"

"What's that?" Donny asked him.

"What's what?" he replied as Donny pointed out his old bracelet.

"Oh, she gave this to me long ago on my birthday," he said gently taking it off and giving it to his younger brother as he read it.

Donny looked over it as it shined and then said "Yet you have kept it like it was brand new?"

"It's important to me," Leo told him as he gently put it back around his wrist and looked down at the young woman that was fast asleep in his lap.

Donny got up and then left them alone as did everyone else; Mikey was a bit harder to get rid of but, Raph was already talking about Ari and Leo.

"I've never seen Leo like this," he has said to them all.

Master Splinter then asked Donny "Is she alright Donatello?"

"Of course Sensei. Leo has her comfortable and the medication that I put on her arm will have her all rested up. Just, something that I have noticed, Raph," he replied as they all looked and listened to him.

"Yeah? And what is that?" Raph grunted out.

"He had known of Arienne before he knew of Karai," Donny retold them of what Leo told him.

Mikey gasped and asked "How? He was never sneaking-?"

"That isn't true Mikey," Raph cut him off. "He was sneaking off but, he would always make sure that Donny was in charge, remember?"

Donny nodded and then said "Maybe we can find a way for them to see one another, because I have only seen this kind of love in the movies and I don't want Leo to be sad or anything,"

"Then what can we do? Have her over on the weekends, like a kid passing from one parent to the next?" Mikey chimed off, not liking that idea at all.

"For now, I think that is the best way Mikey," Donny said to him, not liking that idea either but, what else could they do for their oldest brother being with Ari?

A couple of hours later, Leo was in the dojo practicing his training moves again. Even though he was a Master now, he still practiced but, he had an on-looker from the doorway.

"Whoever is there, either please come in or please go out," He said firmly to the person as she walked over to him.

"It's just me, Leo," Ari said to him as he had stopped what he was doing and bowed his head a bit in shame.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"No, no. It's okay. They're your rules and I will abide by them," She interrupted him as she walked slowly around him.

"Something is on your mind, I can easily see it," he stated softly to her.

"After all of this time, I don't know what to think as to why you would hide yourself from me? But then I thought, 'maybe he has been in situations where he has been rejected' and that," She said, stopping right in front of him as he looked her in the eyes. "Is probably why you kept to the shadows most of the time?"

"Yes, not many humans would be this accepting of what I look like or who I am, Ari. You're really special," he replied back as she then walked into his personal space and looked him over.

Wherever her warm curious hazel brown eyes roamed, it felt like she was touching Leo's skin. It made his back shiver.

"Want to see what I can do?" he softly asked her as she moved closer to him.

From a pipe within the wall, there was a robotic camera as Leo's brothers; Raph, Mikey and Don were in Don's computer room as they were spying on Leo interacting with Ari.

"I'm telling you guys, he needs help with how to get her within his hands," Mikey said as Raph elbowed him to be quiet.

"Everything that she is giving off; the leaning forward with interest from her body, the soft blush on her cheeks, her pupils dilated, her being nice and warm-"

"Donny, we don't need to know all of this useless-"

"Raph it's not useless. These are signs that someone is in love with another person. And Ari is in love with our leader, Leonardo. Just need to give them both a helping hand," Donny said to Raph who then nodded slowly.

"Well is she staying here for dinner then?" Mikey asked them irritated a bit.

"I don't know…" Donny said but Leo asked Ari to stay for dinner and then he would take her back to her place.

"I hope I'm not intruding on you or your family, Leo?" she said to him as Leo looked back at her.

"You're never intruding on me or my family, Ari," he replied back, gently wrapping her in his arms.

She nodded and snuggled into his chest as she then looked up at him.

"Oh no. No," he said smiling as she smiled and tagged him by turning his mask around and running away.

"Hey! Get back here!" Leo said smiling, fixing his mask and chasing after her.

His brothers watched them play tag, which seemed silly but, it was fun to watch.

Master Splinter cleared his throat when Leo had Ari back in his arms and they both looked up at him. Ari blushing as she hid in Leo's side.

"Leonardo, why don't you show Arienne your ninjutsu?" he suggested to his son.

Leo looked down at her and asked "Would you like to see?"

"Sure, but can you answer me this: I know that those are swords but-?"

"Double katana," he answered her as she walked to the side lines and leaned against the wall.

For 46 minutes, she watched Leo go against his father as she was impressed. A smell perfumed the dojo which had Ari's stomach growling loudly as Master Splinter called it a night with Leo's training.

* * *

After she had something to eat, Leo knew it was time for her to go back. He was waiting near the entrance as she had hugged and told his family that she would keep them a secret and thanked them for all that they could do.

Leo walked her out of his home and into the sewers as she was quiet.

"You okay Ari?" he asked her, walking a bit slower now.

"Yeah, just really taking all of this in still," She replied softly, looking over at him.

"It's okay, I'm use to it. Will…will I see you soon?" he asked her, afraid that she would ban him from her life forever.

"Yes, you're always welcome to my home anytime," she replied back, gently slipping her hand into his as they continued to walk to the surface of the streets.

Leo blushed when he was holding her hand in his. His heart raced, the increase of his breathing was soft but the blush was very noticeable as Ari didn't say anything on it.

Leo made sure that she was home safe. Though he lingered as Ari took a shower and was in her PJs as he didn't want to leave.

She smiled softly and then gestured to the living room as he nodded as she got some tea for them both.

'_What am I doing?'_ Leo asked himself as he took deep breathes to calm himself down.

She walked back over to him with his cup of tea and said "it's decaf,"

"That's alright. I also brought you a shell cell, in case you need to get a hold of me or my family," he replied back, taking his cup of tea and giving her, her very own shell cell but it had a blue strip on it.

"Thank you. After this I'm going to go to bed okay," she told him, taking the shell cell and drinking her cup of tea.

Leo nodded as he saw how tired she was. Very soon she fell asleep on the couch as he put everything away and turned anything that was on, off. Very carefully he picked her up in his arms and then realized that this was a new home.

He walked over to the stairs case which was up against the left side of the Victorian house. It reminded him of Casey's Farm house.

'_I bet that she got the idea from was when she stayed up there.'_ He thought to himself as he followed the stair case up into the second floor.

There were five doors, but he had a feeling that Ari had her bedroom away from the street, as he walked to his left. He walked into the very big bedroom which looked almost exactly like her loft in her old house. He smiled at this as he very carefully put her on her bed as she snuggled more into him.

With his eyes only, he looked down at her as she stilled. He sighed a relief as he then gently leaned down and tenderly kissed her on the cheek before he pulled slowly away from her.

He didn't want to leave. No. he wanted to stay with her, forever. Leonardo reluctantly, left her home and met up with his brothers for their nightly patrol of the city.

The next day, Ari woke up but it was around noon or so as she gasped and then hurried around her house. She didn't think that much of last night, as she got her clothes on and fixed her brunch before running out of her house after locking it, to her job.

She made it just minutes before it was noon, panting and heaving as her boss looked surprised that she was here.

"I am so sorry that I have not called in or anything," she said to him.

"Well are you alright now?" he asked her.

"Yes, I was at a friend's house to stay for a few days and I just got back to my place this morning when I saw the time. I am so sorry," she told him as he nodded.

"Well tomorrow is the Fourth of July picnic, go back home and rest up," he told her, which was odd but she just shrugged and went with it.

For the rest of that afternoon, she was in tea shops, knickknacks, books shops and just stayed out of her home. But all the while she was doing this, just to seem normal, her mind was racing of the images of Leonardo and his family from last night.

It was still a lot to take in but her heart was screaming, yelling as it was jumping up and down like a spoiled brat of a kid, that she shouldn't really care all that much on their appearances.

She had bought some things for her music collection as well as for her book collection too when she made it back to her home around 8 or so.

It was still light out but the sun was setting the sky on fire as it sank for another day. Ari put away her things and made dinner.

Her eyes were on the windows when it became completely dark out but nothing happened that night.

When it was July 4th, Ari was at Central Park and she was having a great time. Her pure white summer dress with her red hair tie and blue shoes.

It was hot out, very humid and just made things a bit on the downer. Ari saw a lot of people gathering and such for a good "bird's eye view" for the fireworks to go off.

There were games for all ages; potato sack races for the kids, try to cream your boss with a muse pie, berry, or apple pies for the adults and music for everyone.

It was great, Ari was having a good time but her wound would act up every now and then. Forcing her to take a break.

The day passed by very fast, almost much too fast for everyone's liking when the sun was finally sitting and Mother nature's own way, licking the sky of her own Red, white and Blues.

In a very private area of the park, Ari looked around since she kept hearing a "Psst" and followed it. She gasped when she saw Mikey step out and then a whack as he moaned.

"Way to go Mikey," Raph hissed at him as he moaned and glared at his brother.

"What…what is it?" Ari asked them, not really sure as to why they were here and not Leo.

Raph looked at her and softly said "Leo wanted to give you this letter but forgot to do so,"

Mikey looked confused on this and said "No-"

WHACK!

"I mean, yeah, sure he did!" he corrected himself after Raph hit him to shut up.

She slowly walked up to Raph and Mikey and gently took the letter that Raph had.

"Will I see him tonight?" she asked them.

Raph shrugged and said "Maybe, if you need any help, Donny can help you out. But we have to go,"

"What? Why?" she asked him confused.

"Because, we need to be one with the shadows right now, see ya," Raph said and then walked away almost too fast with pulling Mikey's mask ties.

Ari didn't know what to think of this encounter with Leo's brothers as she looked down at the letter and opened it up.

"My Ari,

I hope you're day has gone well. Will you meet me at April's antique shop around 10:25 tonight for dinner?

Your ninja turtle,

Leonardo"

She looked at where Raph and Mikey had gone and she had a feeling that this might be a set up but, shrugged. She walked back to her spot and was greeted with her boss.

"Ah, Miss Lyn. Just who I needed to talk to," he said as she swallowed nervously.

"Yes Mr. Monaco?" she replied back.

"After what happened with the artifacts being stolen and you getting injured, why don't you take a vacation? I know you have a few months saved up and well, right now the museum will be just fine," he said as she looked at him.

"You're firing me are you not?" she asked him, getting to the direct point.

He shrugged and then said "Yes I am,"

She sighed and then walked away as she sat down on the grass.

It was finally dark enough for the fireworks display to go off and when they did, everyone was yelling and cheering. Ari looked at the designs as there were smiley faces in red, circles of white and strangely enough a turtle in blue.

She walked to her home and got changed for her dinner with Leo. When it was around 10:15 she walked to April's antique shop and stepped inside.

Once she was inside, she was in awe of everything. It got her curious but when she saw April she smiled and walked over to her.

"He's upstairs," April told her as Ari nodded and walked up the tight spiraling staircase.

"Leo?" she asked as he was suddenly there helping her up onto the second floor.

"I got your letter, it was really nice of you to invite me to dinner," He told her as she looked confused.

"Huh? Leo I didn't invite you to dinner, you did. Here look," she said handing him her letter.

Leo quickly took it as he then softly sighed with "My brothers are doing this,"

"They are? Why?" she asked him as he looked at her.

Leo saw that Ari was wearing a summer evening dress. It stopped just above her knees but showed how beautiful she was. It made him blush.

"You look stunning tonight," he said as she looked up at him and noticed that he wasn't wearing his knee and elbow pads but still had his double katanas with him.

"Thank you as you do to as well," She replied with a soft blush.

Leo led her over to the dining room area as there were food laid out for them.

"So …now what?" she asked him.

"Well…uh. How did you enjoy your Fourth of July?" he asked her as she sighed.

"It was alright. I had fun at the company's event," she said looking down at the ground.

"Ari? What is wrong?"

"I got fired today because of what happened with the Foot stealing the artifacts that night,"

"But, why would they do that? You have been loyal to that comp"

"It happens Leo. And yes; even though it's not fair, they fired me over something that is not a big deal. However, my old boss is a conceded jerk,"

"Well, with the summer season just beginning, would you like to go up to Casey's farm house with me and my family? Along with April and Casey of course?"

"Sure, a vacation sounds wonderful right now. So what are we having for dinner?" she said looking at the food.

"I'm not sure," he replied as he looked at the covered plates before gently lifting it up.

There was chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, dinner rolls and gravy. Arienne lifted hers up and it was the same thing.

"Whoa, your brothers really want this night to go right because this is my favorite dinner," she said as Leo nodded in agreement.

They ate their dinner in peace. It may seem boring but it was just nice for them.

After they were finished Ari wiped her mouth with her napkin and then asked "How was your day?"

"It was alright, though I will need to talk to my brothers of this set up," he replied as she giggled at him.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" he asked her, smiling.

"No, I just think it's cute on how much they really care about you. Going through all of this trouble just to make you happy. It's really sweet of them to do," she stated to him smiling.

"Well…uh…in a little bit, would you like to dance?" he asked her, knowing that this was a part of every date that he has seen in movies.

"Sure, I would like that but I'm a little full," she answered him, leaning against the back of her chair and relaxing.

It was quiet for a minute or two when Leo then asked "Ari, what do you think of me now that you know what I look like?"

This took her by surprise a bit; she knew that he was sensitive with his looks and tried to keep it away from her but, as she looked at him she couldn't help but feel a pull towards him.

"In all honesty?" she asked, knowing that she was stalling but she tried to get her thoughts in order.

Leonardo nodded as he waited nervously on her answer.

Arienne pushed her chair back as she walked over to him, gently taking his three fingered hand into her five fingered hand and pulled him over to the couch.

Leo obliged with this as he sat down first as she sat down very close to him, snuggling into his chest plates and resting her head against his shoulder.

She could easily hear how fast his heart was beating from her right ear resting on a main artery in his shoulder.

"I think you're fine in looks. At first, when I did see just glimpses of you within my old house, I did freak out because well humans are not use to seeing other life forms beside ourselves," She said, looking up at him as he nodded.

"That is true, but we do have the Justice Force-"

"That _look_ human. Seeing a walking talking giant turtle isn't something that the human race is familiar with. However, I wouldn't want you to change just because of how you look Leo. I…I like you the way you are and I don't think you should worry about it that much," she interrupted him as he blushed.

"Thank you Ari. At times I can be a little hard headed," he told her, wrapping his arm around her as she smiled and snuggled into him.

"We all get like that, just need someone to knock our heads to see what we have in front of us," she said gently running her fingers up and down his chest plates.

It was very difficult for Leo to keep his sexual excitement in check as he shifted a bit from her touches. Now that she was close up, she could easily see the knicks and cuts and scrapes that he had endured throughout his life time. She looked to her right more when she saw a old scar maybe a couple of inches long.

"What happened here?" she asked curiously, gently running her finger over the lighter skin tone.

"Karai did that to me," Leo answered her as her brown eyes met his golden orbs.

"What? How? Wait…wasn't she the one who"

"That I had a lusting for? Yes. And it would be a long story to tell you, just that she did it in revenge of the Shredder," he finished for her, shifting a bit again.

Arienne looked at him and softly said "I am sorry Leonardo,"

"No, I was a fool because you and Raph were telling me what she really wanted and well…"

"You let your guard down because you thought she was lusting after you but, truly just wanted to kill you for what you did to the Shredder," she finished for him.

He nodded silently. The scar that Karai left would never go away, he was just thankful that Ari and his family and friends were there to try to help him see who Karai really was like.

It was a little bit after midnight when April, Casey, Don, Mikey and Raph came up to the apartment.

"I wonder how things went with the love birds." Mikey asked in a hushed whisper.

"Shh…I think it went just fine, look," Donny said as he pointed to Leonardo with Ari sleeping in his arms.

"Awe, they look so adorable right now," April whispered as Raph and Casey snickered.

April gently put a blanket over the two and ushered everyone away to leave Leo and Ari alone.

"I wonder how Leo will feel in the morning," Raph snickered.

"Oh I believe he will have a chirping good time," Casey chimed in which earned him an elbow to the ribs.

Donny shook his head as did April.

"First date completed, now let's see what will happen at your farm house, Casey," Donny said to him as everyone went to bed soon after.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Hello everyone! Another chapter is gone but, that doesn't mean that I won't stop writing this out. I have an idea on where this will go. I just hope I can get it to the end point.**_

_**Anyway, Reviews! Ah thank you so much for them! Love hearing from you guys.**_

_**Dondena- Thank you, I try to keep it as close within the 2k3 series. Some of it will merge with other events but that's getting myself way too far ahead ^_~.**_

_**Margui- Thank you so much for your review and future reviews. I love reading them and yes I am back.**_

_**KatO93- Thank you for your review. Arienne or Ari is loosely based around my personality and that of TMNT 2k3 series Leonardo. I feel like I can connect with him on a lot of levels and he's always my favorite turtle. Can't wait to see where this story goes ^_^.**_

_**Hope you guys enjoy reading and reviewing this chapter.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 2.**_

The drive up to Casey's house was…well let's just say hectic to get everyone in one car and hauling trailer.

Ari was with Casey and April as the guys were in the hauling trailer. Throughout the drive, she was texting to Leo through their shell cells.

To Casey and April, along with the brothers and Master Splinter, they all thought that their date idea was a success. Which it was but, both Leo and Ari wanted to take their relationship slow.

Once they got to the farm house Arienne looked around after she got out with "This place is so cool,"

April didn't know of the time that Ari had spent the time up here for nearly 6 months with Cody.

"Oh?" April replied as Leo walked up to Ari smiling.

"She used to work at a history museum. But Ari come on, I'll show you around," Leo explained but took Ari's hand into his hand walked her to the barn.

Once inside the barn, Leo glanced around and then turned to her asking softly "If Casey brings up the time that you were here, let me do the talking. I know that you don't like that but, please?"

"Yeah…just...why?" she asked him, which was true that she didn't like anyone speaking for her.

"Because, April knows that if I talk, I am serious on the subjects that I speak or talk about. Besides, she will be angrier at her husband then you or me," Leo joked as Ari nodded and then looked around in the barn and saw the old welding fireplace.

She walked over to it as Leo followed silently after her.

"When we first got defeated by the Shredder, I spent all my time in here. Remaking my swords," he said as she looked over at him.

"You still sound upset at him? Isn't he on some far away planet that was nothing but ice?" She stated but her being her, her foot wrapped around a piece of metal and threw her forward.

Leonardo caught her with ease as she held onto him.

"He caused a great grief in my family Ari. He almost got you several times but, that doesn't matter anymore. Are you alright?" he asked her as she limped a bit to keep standing.

"I think so. I don't feel any hurting wound or anything," she said looking down at her left ankle.

Meanwhile in the farm house Casey was with Raph and Mikey; putting away the groceries.

"Man, I bet Leo is kissing his girlfriend right now," Raph said looking at the barn.

"Oh yeah? I bet he's just showing her around before kissing her," Casey riled back.

"Nuh uh. Have you seen how he dragged her off right away? He's kissing her," Mikey chimed in as April walked into the kitchen.

"What are you three doing?" she asked with a knowing expression.

"Taking bets on what Leo is doing with his girlfriend in the barn," Raph said at once.

April shook her head and then said "Guys, just leave them alone. If and when they become a couple, which they're not by the way, it will happen. Now Casey I want cheese burgers and grilled corn on the cob tonight,"

"What? How do you know that they're not a couple yet?" Casey asked as Raph and Mikey nodded in agreement.

"If they were, Leo would have taken her to the lake, not the barn where we can see them," she said pointing to the barn as Leo walked out of it with Ari in his arms.

"Oh," Raph said and blushed with a cheese smile.

Leo walked inside with Ari still in his arms as April asked "What happened?"

"Me just being clumsy," Ari said resting her head against Leo's shoulder as Leo blushed.

"You weren't clumsy Ari, just need to clean that pile of metal in a safe area is all. Come on, I'll show you you're room," Leo replied walking out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"How can she be _that_ clumsy when she stayed here for nearly 6 months?" Casey said confused.

"She did _what_?" April asked upset.

"She stayed here with those alien walking dinosaurs came to earth, she was unconscious and Leo told me to get her up here with that kid," Casey quickly explained as Leo came back downstairs.

"April, what Casey said is true. I had to get Ari away from our enemies as soon as possible. And the kid, Cody, is back with his real family," Leo explained to them.

Master Splinter and Donny were standing near the doorway and Master Splinter said "Where is Arienne now my son?"

"Upstairs taking a nap. She bruised her ankle and wants to take it easy for a bit, Sensei," Leo replied at once.

"Then, let us give her, her request. Everyone outside," Master Splinter said as everyone nodded and walked through the backdoor.

When they were outside and near the tire swing, they sat in a circle as Master Splinter then said "Explain to us how you met Arienne, Leonardo,"

He heavily sighed and told them all how he met Ari. When he was finished, his eyes looked to the second floor window as he saw a figure move away from it.

"Do you love her Leonardo?" Master Splinter asked as Leo swallowed.

"Well…uh. I …it's just…" he stammered horribly and blushing too.

"Man, I've never seen you this choked up about a girl since…well not since Karai bro," Raph teased him as Mikey snickered.

Leo stilled at her name and said stiffly "I don't want to talk about it,"

"Well why not?" Mikey asked but Donny thwacked him with his Bo staff.

"Enough you two. Just because Leo has found someone else that isn't Karai, I am really happy for him," Donny said as Leo was thankful for his smart brother.

"Thank you Donny. It means a lot," Leo softly told him as his brother smiled.

"So what are you and Arienne going to do my son?" Master Splinter asked him softly.

"Uh…well I was thinking of taking her up to the lake for a swim. She said that she loves to do that whenever she gets the chance," Leo replied back to his father.

Master Splinter nodded and then said "Go get ready my son. I do not mind if you and Arienne go up to the lake,"

"What? How come Leo gets to go and we don't?" Raph asked in protest.

"Raph, it's okay. All of you can meet Ari and I tomorrow afternoon for a …a family outing," Leo interjected with a smile as he got up and walked into the house.

Raph got a grumpy look as Donny then said "Don't worry Raph; just let Leo have his fun. And whenever you get a girlfriend, you can have outings and such with her,"

Raph said nothing at all as Mikey snickered.

Meanwhile inside of the house, Leo watched Ari from the doorway of her bedroom.

"May I come in?" he asked her politely.

She turned to his voice and nodded as he walked into the bedroom. He was asked to share it with her from his father but, Leonardo thought it was rushing things far too fast.

'_Like tonight isn't any better either.'_ He thought in his mind.

"How's your ankle?" he asked Ari, to distract his mind for a bit.

"It's better and how are you doing?" she replied back as Leo walked over to her and gently sat down on the queen size bed.

"Well I am good but, would you like to go up to the lake for a swim and stay the night?" he asked, trying to keep the nervous butterflies settled down, he looked at her with hope.

"I would love to Leo. Let me go and get changed into my bathing suit and shorts and we'll go," she said excitedly.

He smiled back as his butterflies suddenly calmed, like that of the storm raging but then disappeared.

Ari got up and slowly went to her suit case, Leo didn't know if she wanted him to stay or leave.

"I'll be in the loft okay?" He said to her.

"Alright, but what else do I bring?" She asked him. "It's been a long time since I've been camping,"

Leo hummed looking her over before going to her suit case and looking around within it.

"The basics I think. Shorts, tank tops, and light clothes," He said trying hard not to blush for being this close to her.

Ari was on her knees looking through it all as she picked out what she brought with her. Leo kneeled and gently put his hand around her slim curvy waist to help her keep balance.

Even if she was on her knees, Leonardo had noticed throughout the years of knowing Ari, she was very clumsy. It wasn't like she was trying to be, it just happens.

"How about this? We will be back here tomorrow or?" she asked him, holding out shorts, a couple tank tops and some summer PJs.

"Just in case something happens, bring one more outfit and I think you will be good," he said to her, the leader that was inside of him spoke out.

She nodded and did just that. With his help, he helped her stand up and she stumbled a bit.

"Easy," Leo said as she then did something.

Ari rested against his chest plates and right shoulder, her warm hand near the scar where Karai had pierced his shoulder long ago. He had to control his breathing because his lungs were either frozen with shock or rapidly trying not to panic.

"Thank you, for your help," She whispered softly to him, pulling away as she got ready for their night out.

"Y...You're welcome Ari," he stammered a bit before walking out of the room a bit stiffly.

Leo was upstairs, gasping and heaving for air. He didn't know what had come over him lately whenever she was that close to him.

'_I can't be falling in love with her. If that happens our enemies for sure will use her against me and I can't let that happen. However I can't hurt her either. Whenever I'm with her, she doesn't judge me or want anything from me that she could use to hurt me later. Oh what in the shell have I gotten myself into?'_ he thought to himself as he started to slowly pace around now.

"Leonardo?" he heard his father's voice as he gasped out of surprise.

"Sensei! How long have you been here?" he asked in fright.

Master Splinter walked over to him and said softly "Ari has been waiting for nearly 20 minutes now. She is very excited for this trip, but something is heavily weighing on your mind,"

Leo softly sighed and nodded to him.

As Ari was waiting on the front porch she was watching Donny build a homemade telescope.

"So what is that for again?" she asked him as he looked over at her and smiled.

"Hailey's comet is going to be coming within three days and I would like to see it. I know that my brothers won't-"

"I wouldn't put it past them Donny. Sure Mikey and Raph are impatient about things, but they will want to see the comet when she is out," Ari interrupted him smiling.

Donny then smiled back at her with "Alright. You seem to know my brothers better than I do,"

"Leo has told me stories upon stories about you guys. Not being Mutant Turtles but, that you guys are his brothers," she replied back as they heard a loud crash from the barn.

"MIKEY!" Raph yelled angrily as Donny and Ari looked once at each other and then ran to the barn.

Inside the barn, there was dust hanging heavily everywhere. Donny opened the door wider to let the air out as he saw Mikey slowly getting up from the floor.

"Mikey what happened?" Ari asked as Master Splinter, April, Casey and Leo all joined them then.

"My son, are you alright?" Master Splinter asked Mikey who rubbed his head.

"Yeah Sensei I'm fine. Just didn't know that the ledge was right there," he said, pointing to where he fell from.

Raph glared at him and said "Well I told you not to climb around up in there, dimwit,"

Mikey stuck his tongue out and walked away with Master Splinter and Donny looking him over.

Ari and Leo just shook their heads as they walked away from the barn. Raph was setting up his punching bag as Donny soon joined him to help out; Mikey was fine.

* * *

Her eyes looked around the river as Leo guided them upstream. She wanted to help him out but he just told her in a joking way that he didn't want to fish her out of the river.

That got him a face full of water and before they knew it, they were in a water war. It ended with Leo surrendering to Ari who smirked and sat down next to him.

With just himself and Ari, they were going much faster upstream as Ari saw the power plant.

"What happened here?" she asked, pointing to the cone that use to stand up but was now just rubble.

"They were closing it down but missed one area that was still radioactive. My brothers and I along with Casey and April helped bring it to their attention. I'm glad that they shut this down," Leo said to her as she nodded silently.

As they were passing the old power plant, a fish jumped out of the water and hit Leo square in the face. Ari couldn't help but snicker at this as he wiped his face after the fish jumped back into the water.

They got to the lake within an hour and quarter. Leo helped Ari off of the raft and dragged it high above the shoreline before walking over to her.

"So uh…what would you like to do?" he asked her, not really sure what she wanted to do.

"How about we make camp and then go for a swim?" she said as he nodded.

Leo and Ari made camp and it was nice. Leo knew that Ari didn't spoke that much unless she needed help or it was important to say. But to just hear the soft breeze with the birds playing their concerts as the wild life was okay with them.

Ari had changed into her bathing suit when camp was finished and walked slowly to the lake's edge. It was then that she had heard a low churr rumbling sound and looked behind her.

She saw Leonardo standing there but was looking at her. She looked herself over but found nothing was wrong or anything on her.

"Leo?" She asked him curiously.

"I uh…" He began but churned deeply as he blushed from embarrassment of this.

It suddenly clicked for Ari as to what was going on with him and softly smiled as she walked into the lake. Going about waist deep, she dove softly into the cool water of the lake as she gave more time to Leo to uh…get his emotions back together.

Pretty soon she saw Leo swim almost effortlessly beside her as she then moved upward towards the surface. She broke the surface, getting a good lungful of air and was about to go back down but Leo surfaced beside her.

"This is really nice Leo, thank you," She softly whispered to him since water is ten times louder then air with sound.

Gently splashed her in the face before she gasped in surprise but that only started a huge water fight between the two as they acted like kids. A couple of hours of just swimming, Ari got out of the lake as her fingers were all wrinkled and the sun was going down.

Leo got out some minutes later as he saw Ari building a fire and getting some food that he packed for them out.

He helped her with keeping the fire going and staying out of the way of her cooking. He knew from experienced to not get in her way of cooking or else you'll eat burnt food.

"Thank you for everything," He said to her, not sure where that came from.

Her hazel brown eyes looked over at him and softly replied "I think I should be saying that but, you're welcome,"

"I have missed you Ari and I want to apolo-"

"It's okay Leo. I understand that at times you don't want me hurt. Just …having a heads up or knowing of it would be nice,"

"I'll try harder on that, I promise. So what exactly are we having for dinner? It smells really good,"

" Beef Stew or it trying to be stew,"

"Mm...I haven't had your stew in ages. Maybe with your next job you can become a chef? You're really good at it,"

"Maybe but I love to do it for fun, not work. I'm just really picky with my hobbies becoming a chore and not just having fun with it, you know?"

"I understand on that. My brothers think that most of the time that I don't want to have fun but-"

"You always have to be one step ahead of them. I understand," she softly told him as he looked at her and then nodded as he then took off his mask.

She looked at his bare face and softly turned the stew at the same time. To Arienne, Leonardo was beautifully handsome. Of course the hard set features of keeping his face like that of poker, were slowly starting to set in. Making him look older then he is.

Leo was a little unsure of Ari's staring but the more that she saw his bare face, the more that he was getting comfortable of it.

"You're really beautiful," she told him which in turn made him blush.

"I think I should be saying that to you," he mirrored her from earlier.

She snickered and smiled up at him but, remained silent.

The light was stubbornly fading as the stars came out to dance and sing. After they both had the stew (Which Leo complimented Ari on that she could become a chef if she really wanted to.) they laid out on the grass looking up at the stars and trying to figure out which constellation was which.

Leo noticed after a while, that she was getting cold. She had some pants and a t-shirt on and so he very gently put his arm around her, scooting closer to help keep her warm.

"Thank you," she said snuggling into his body as he felt the small quakes of her shivering.

"You're welcome Ari," He replied very low to her.

A couple of hours later, Leo had picked her up but while he did so, he stubbed his toe on something sharp. He hopped a bit still keeping Ari in his arms as he then shook off that it was a rock and walked over to their tent.

After he made sure that Ari was fast asleep in their made bed, he looked over his toe and saw nothing was wrong with it. Shrugging it off, Leo made sure everything was good for the night; the fire was out, the pots and pans were cleaned and then finally made his way to the bed in the tent.

Curling up against Ari's back, Leonardo fell fast asleep with a smile on his face. Today was a perfect day in his mind.

In the morning, around 7 or so, Arienne woke up and felt her bladder was screaming at her. She hated that in the mornings anymore. Reason being is because she loved to snuggle and be in bed for another hour or so.

Knowing that if she delayed it anymore she would get a stomach ache, so she got up and walked beyond the campsite to go pee.

After she was done with that, she thought that taking a quick dip in the lake would be good but on the shore she saw a needle that looked brand new.

Knowing that she didn't want anyone else to get hurt by it, she took a bag and got the needle out as she then wrapped it up. She took her swim in the lake and got dressed 45 minutes later.

Around that time, she heard the branches being crunched and a "Mikey I swear to god that if you keep this up _you_ will be swimming with the fishes!" from Raph.

Donny was the first to emerged from the forest as he then said "Good Morning, Arienne,"

"Good Morning Donny, I have something for you to look at. It's the tent, let me go get it," she said to him and walked to the tent and went inside.

What she saw in the bed where Leo was with her last night was a small boy turtle, but Leo's mask was very lose around this turtle boy.

"Leo?" She asked him as the young turtle opened his eyes slowly.

As his vision came into focus, he looked at Ari and said "Momma?"

"Oh no," She said to herself and didn't know what to do.

"Arienne?" Donny asked her outside of the tent as Ari's heart was racing.

The turtle boy got up and demanded "Who's there! If you hurt my momma, I will hurt you in return!"

Donny then poked his head in and gasped as he saw his oldest brother become his kid self again.

"Donny what do we do?" Ari asked him as she looked at Leonardo.

Donny just stared at his brother and swallowed nervously with "I don't know Arienne. I don't know,"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's note:**_

_**Hey everyone! Glad you're still here and hello to the new followers! Whoa, thank you guys so much for the reviews.**_

_**KatO93**__**- Oh I think I know who will be able to turn him back to his normal self and who had done it ^_~. Don't worry.**_

_**Dondena- Oh? Who is it that you might think it is? ^_^.**_

_**MidnightHunter563- I can easily tell you in a PM Midnight. But thank you for reading and reviewing this story.**_

_**So far who do you think it is? Leave your comments and such in the review section. Thank you for reading and reviewing.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 3.**_

Young Leo was in front of Ari as he glared at Donny.

"Stay _away_ from _my_ momma!" He demanded Donny.

"Easy Leo, I'm…wait…did you just call Ari your _momma_?" he asked him, gently moving in but stayed on his knees.

"Yes I did," Leo said proudly as Ari was trying to take all of this in.

"Leo, it's…it is okay. Donny is you're _older_ brother and he won't hurt you," Ari stepped in and looked at Donny at the end.

Donny caught on and said "I won't hurt you or …our mother,"

Leo looked down and then said "Okay, but I'm hungry,"

"There is last night's stew in the bag there," she said and pointed to the large pack that was Leo's.

"Okay, thank you momma," he said and walked over to it searching as Ari looked at Donny in panic.

"It's okay. We'll figure this out. Just don't panic," Donny said softly to her, rubbing her shoulders to keep her calm.

"_Right_, while my boyfriend has somehow changed back into a kid, thinks I'm his mother and wants to fight not just you but probably Raph and Mikey, let alone Casey after he meets them," she riled back as Donny brought out some thermal cups.

"This is coffee and don't worry Arienne, we'll figure this out," Donny said soothingly to her as she was grateful for the cup of coffee.

Leo had found the stew and walked over to her with tears in his eyes as he said "I can't get it open,"

She gently took Leo into her arms and then opened the plastic container as she got him a plastic fork and napkin. Donny was a bit shocked that she was taking this so well.

"Here you go and eat this slowly. I don't want you to have any stomach aches okay?" she told Leo as he nodded and slowly ate last night's dinner again.

"Yo Donny! Where are you?" Raph yelled loudly near the tent as Leo, Ari and Donny winced as Leo snuggled into Ari more.

"Raph I'm in the tent with Arienne. She's showing me something, I'll be out in a minute," Donny snarled at him as Raph was silent for a bit before walking away with "Whatever,"

"Who is that mean guy momma?" Leo asked her, looking up at her with innocent eyes.

"That is also your …" she looked at Donny for help.

"Your other brother Raph or Raphie. He's always cranky but playing a prank on him makes him laugh," Donny said at once, just to get his revenge on their hotheaded brother.

"Oh. Well can I go out and play?" Leo asked them as Ari nodded as she put everything away.

Leo waited until Donny went first as Ari took Leo's hand into hers and walked outside. Donny had a good understanding that Leo had reverted back to his 5 or 6 year old self again after Ari quickly showed him the needle.

"I'll have to take a look at this when we get back to New York City. I don't have anything with me at the moment," He said as she sighed with a nod.

"Momma? Who is that?" Leo asked her pointing to Mikey.

"That is your youngest brother, Mikey. He loves to play games and goof around," she told him as he nodded and stuck by her.

"Arienne, how about you go take Leo for a walk in the forest…while I go inform the rest of us okay?" Donny said to them as she nodded.

Wide shock eyes saw Leo and Arienne walk into the trees.

"Donny, what in the shell happened to Leo!?" Raph asked him stunned.

"We don't know but, the sooner that we get back to New York City the better Raph," Donny replied back to him when his hotheaded brother walked over to him.

"So…why is Leo with her?" Raph asked him curiously.

"Leo thinks Arienne is his mother. He was in a defensive stance when I entered the tent and after she explained that you or Mikey or I aren't dangerous, he calmed down," Donny explained as Mikey came up to them and smiled.

"Donny you won't believe what I found under water! Look!" Mikey said and showed Donny the same kind of needles that Arienne showed him from the beach.

"Careful Mikey! Those can change you into something that I might not be able to change you back!" Donny said worriedly to him as Mikey shrieked and dropped them at once to the ground.

"Good going dipstick," Raph grunted at him.

Meanwhile in the forest, Ari was pointing out the wildlife and how to track and easily get yourself out of the forest, which is if you were lost within it.

"Momma, I'm tired. Can you carry me?" Leo asked her as she saw that this was tiring young Leo out.

"Sure," she said and gently picked him up and held him with her right arm under him.

He snuggled into Ari's shoulder and said "Thank you momma. You're the best,"

That brought tears to her eyes because she knew that she and Leonardo could never have kids. It was a heartwarming bitter sweet moment for the young woman as she walked slowly back to camp.

"Leo, honey, we're back at camp now," She softly told him but he was fast asleep on her, sucking his thumb as she saw Donny and Raph walk up to her.

"How was he?" Donny asked in a hushed whisper to not wake Leo up.

She shrugged and said "Not that interested in the outdoors, which is shocking because he said that he loved the outdoors as a kid?"

"What are you saying? We might not even get our older brother back?" Raph asked either one of them.

"I don't know, but from the samples that Mikey got, I think I can make an anti-potion for Leo. That is, if he will take it," Donny replied back as Ari then walked to the tent and went inside of it.

Raph looked at Donny and said "Of course he ain't going to take it. He's a kid Donny and has forgotten us! What in the shell are we going to do now? Arienne can't live with us since she has her own place topside,"

Donny sighed and then said "How would you feel if I or Master Splinter turned 5 again? Knowing that the person that you love could be lost forever?"

Raph then softly said "What is it that we can do to help her? I know that she loves Leo, but just how far and deep is it? You and I both know the wound he got from Karai is there, Donny,"

"I have seen something change within Leo, when he was our age," Donny said, walking over to the camp fire which Mikey was getting more fire wood for it.

"Yeah? And what's that?" Raph asked sitting down across from him.

Donny thought on how to reword this to Raph so that he could easily understand it.

"Leo's love for Arienne is much stronger then lusting over Karai. You know how Arienne is, but you also know Karai. Tell me what is so different between the women that our oldest brother and leader would keep Arienne out of the picture for nearly 5 or so years?" Donny expressed to Raph as he thought it over.

"I don't know, you got me," Raph said still trying to see what it was that Leo loved about Arienne and where Donny was taking this.

"Arienne is open with everyone. Where Karai will only give you what you want and then stab you in the back. I just feel so sorry for Arienne because-"

"Because she won't know if Leo will be himself after you give him the anti-potion," Raph finished for him as he now understood Donny.

"Yes, but also Raph, we have to help her. Not just handling Leo of him being 5 again, but also maybe help her get to know us better too. She is very shy but guarded. Now add Leo being a 5 year old boy and you have a very defensive mother bear. And always, you never want to come in between a mother bear and her cub or cubs," Donny stressed to Raph as he nodded understanding more now.

"So what do we do now?" Raph asked him, wanting to not have Ari upset with them.

"Well, I need some stuff to help know what it was that made Leo change from his 25 year old self into a 5 year old boy again. Ari handed me this needle that she saw in the bank of the river. It matches up with the other needles that Mikey got too," Donny said looking into the bag and then looked up as Ari was walking over to them.

"Uh…Hi Arienne," Raph grunted at her as she looked at him.

"Hi Raphael," she softly greeted him back but sat down near Donny.

Donny knew that she wanted to talk to him but, he wasn't as impatient as Raph was.

"Leo is asleep but I have not that much experience with Leo being a kid. Can you help me?" she asked him with a pleading expression.

"Of course we will help you with Leo," Raph replied to her as she looked at him.

Donny nodded his head and said "I talked to Raph about this and well, we will help you out as much as possible, but, Leo thinks you are his mother. It's very typical within baby animals; ducklings do this so that they can follow their mother after they are hatched from their eggs.

Leo will have to stay with you after we get back to the city. I can't change him now. I can order some things from April's laptop but, it would be adding more"

"It's okay Donny, I understand. I just have never taken care of a 5 year old before," Ari cut in and looked at him worriedly.

"Didn't you take care of that one kid? From, you know the invasion?" Raph asked her curiously.

"Cody was 6 ½ when I took care of him. Huge difference," she softly told him as he nodded.

"By the way, how is Cody?" Don asked her, rubbing her back to sooth her worries.

Ari groaned and said "I haven't spoken to him in 2 years. But…I think it's better so that he can be with his family again,"

"I am sorry Arienne," Donny told her, seeing how much she cared for the boy.

Raph grounded his teeth as he said "Why would he do that?"

"It wasn't him, it's his family. They didn't take to me so well," she replied to Raph, which she never spoken of it to Leo.

"What? After saving Cody and all of what you went through?" Raph asked her stunned.

"Yeah," She said and looked at him.

Raph growled and pulled out his sai's and twirled them around with "If I ever see them I'll give them a good-"

"Raph, don't," Donny said "What done is done. You can't change the past. Besides Arienne, you have someone to look after right now,"

She looked at young Leo who was crying. She got up and walked over to him and kneeling down to his height.

"What's wrong?" she asked him softly, gently rubbing his shoulder.

"Bad dream," he said as he wrapped his arms around her neck.

Arienne was a bit shocked but, gently picked him up in her arms and walked over to the fire as she had him in her lap, holding him close.

Donny looked at them and couldn't help but feel his heart open to her and how she took care of Leo. Raph however just felt sorry for his oldest brother who was crying.

"It's okay Leo," he said softly to him.

The young turtle looked at Raph and asked "Who are you?"

"I'm..."

"He's your older brother, remember?" Ari said for Raph as she looked down at Leo.

"Oh. Momma hold me please?" he asked her, hugging her again as she wrapped her arms around his shell and closed her eyes.

'_Oh Leo I wish you were your real age again.'_ She thought as Raph and Donny didn't know what to do.

Leo was fast asleep again as Mikey came back with the fire wood as he looked at Arienne with the young Leo.

"You almost look good with him like that," He softly commented to her.

"What do you mean?" she asked when Raph and Donny went to chop most of the larger pieces of wood into smaller ones.

"No offense but, you look like a natural mother with him," Mikey explained to her as she shrugged.

"How would you feel if your father was a kid again?" she asked him in return as Mikey thought on that.

Arienne got up and walked back to the tent and lied down on the bed with Leo.

Pretty soon Ari fell asleep while the brothers talked.

"What can we do Donny?" Mikey asked him worriedly.

"Just give Arienne support. We can't do all that much for her or Leo right now," Donny replied to him as Raph grunted and heaved the axe into the firewood.

"Call April up, see if she could get you more science stuff for you," he said and grunted again.

"Thank you Raph, but I don't know if I can change Leo back," Donny said as Raph stopped and looked at him.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Mikey asked him.

"If I make an anti-potion, I might make Leo older then he was. It is just best to just let it run its course," Donny explained further to them.

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Raph said fast, walking over to Donny. "You mean to say, that if you make it Leo will be really old?"

"Yes, but this is all going off of observing how Leo is right now. Remember he walked over to Arienne and said that he had a "bad dream"? What if those bad dreams are just his memory? I can't temper with what has happened to him," Donny expressed stressfully.

Mikey and Raph nodded as they tried to come up with something.

The next day, Ari was up earlier once again after all of them had seen Hailey's comet. Leonardo was impressed and wanted to learn more from his older brother Donny. It was a nice change where one of his brothers was interested in it.

She walked down to the lake and looked around before going into it for a daily swim. The water was cold and still. It made her lungs feel heavy and her throat hurt whenever she surfaced.

After she had gotten out, she saw Donny and Raph waking up near the fire. She walked over to them after she got dressed into some warmer clothes.

"Good Morning, Arienne," Donny said tiredly.

"Good Morning, Donny, Raph," she greeted them as Raph just grunted back.

They were quiet for some time as Mikey was up next but Leo was sleeping away peacefully. Ari got up and walked back to the tent. She didn't like it to be that far away from him as she started to pack everything up.

Within a couple of hours, they were all at the farm house again. Master Splinter was soft and happy to meet Leo who held onto Ari's hand and clung to her side like glue.

She walked into the farm house and up the stairs as Leo was being taught how to do the moves that he saw Master Splinter do. He was fascinated with it.

"Yes, yes. Good, Leonardo," Master Splinter told him as Leo was going through his Katas, as his older brothers looked on.

"What do you think of helping Leo being more like himself?" Donny softly asked Raph and Mikey.

"How so Donny? I tried to get him into reading that war book of his," Raph replied back.

"When was that?" Donny asked surprised.

"Two hours ago. He didn't want anything to do with it," Raph said looking at his oldest brother trying to stay still but wasn't quite managing it.

"Guys, have you forgotten that Leo has been with Master Splinter the longest? And that he looked up to him ever since our mutation?" Mike asked them. "Now that Arienne is his 'mother' he's going to change a bit. Sure I miss the old Leo but, we have to work with what is happening to him now,"

That pretty much shut up Donny, Raph and Ari as she was in the living room now.

"Good Leonardo. You may rest now," Master Splinter told the young turtle tot.

"Where's momma?" he asked Master Splinter nicely.

"She is probably inside," He replied back as Ari walked outside past his brothers as Leo smiled and walked up to her.

"Hey Leo," she greeted him as he put his arms in the air to be picked up.

She smiled at this before picking him up and holding him on her hip.

"Sensei was teaching me Katas momma," He told her excitedly.

"I saw that. You were doing really good with them too," she encouraged him.

Leo smiled proudly and said "May I continue to be taught by Master Splinter momma?"

Ari looked over at Master Splinter who hummed and she said "Just as long as you do your studies,"

"Studies of?" Leo asked her curiously.

"Math, history, science, English, reading and writing," she replied back as she then sat down on the grass with him in her lap.

Leo looked down and said "Oh, okay,"

Even though that he had worked on his Katas for a short time, he was fast asleep on Ari's shoulder as she softly rubbed his shell with her hand. Pretty soon Leonardo was fast asleep as Ari looked at Master Splinter.

"You are really good with children, Arienne," he commented softly to her.

"Thank you. Was he always like this when he was younger?" she asked him.

"No. He was very good but not wanting to be as close as he is now. However, since you were the one he saw first, something must have triggered something within him," Master Splinter replied as Ari nodded in understanding.

"Hm. I was thinking after his nap, that he could play some games. I would like for him to get as much sun for today as possible," she said looking at Master Splinter if that was a good thing.

"Of course. I remember them wanting to bask in the areas where the sunlight would come down into the sewers a lot," he told her with a soft smile.

She snickered and then said "Speaking of, how is he going to fair with the illnesses down there?"

"One step at a time Arienne, but we will tackle it when the time comes," he replied as he slowly got up and walked slowly inside the house as the brothers walked over to her.

"If he gets sick, we will be there with all of the stuff that he will need," Donny told her as she nodded.

Mikey laid down on the grass and went "Aaw, this feels so good,"

"Mikey, shut it," Raph growled but he too lay down on the grass.

Pretty soon all of the brothers formed a triangle around Arienne with the sleeping Leonardo on her chest as they all basked and fell asleep on the grass.

* * *

The next day, Ari was sleeping in since Leonardo had a lot of nightmares from last night. Most of the things that he had told her were of his adventures that he had gone through when he was his normal self.

Donny was downstairs fixing his morning coffee when he felt a tap on his thigh. Looking down he saw Leo.

"Good Morning Leo," he greeted him.

"Good Morning Donny. Are you going to make breakfast?" he asked him going over to the kitchen table and climbing up the chair before sitting down on it.

Donny looked at Leo and then said "Sure, what would you like?"

"I don't know, momma would always make scrambled eggs, toast and fruit," he replied back at Donny who looked at him.

"Hm. How about I make you something different," he replied and started to get to work on it.

Leo nodded and waited as Master Splinter and April walked into the kitchen. Donny had already got Master Splinter his tea ready as Leo looked at him curiously.

"Good Morning, Aunt April, Master Splinter. What is that you're drinking?" he asked Master Splinter.

"Good Morning my- I mean Leonardo. And this is green tea," Master Splinter said, catching himself.

Leo nodded as he then had a small but somewhat warm cup of green tea in front of him thanks to Donny.

"Try it, you might like it," He encouraged his little brother.

Leo picked up the cup and then nearly dropped it.

"I find cupping the bottom is easier then holding it at the top," Master Splinter suggested to him.

"Oh, okay sensei," Leo replied and did just that.

He very careful and took a sip as he then made a yuck face.

"You will learn to like it over time," Donny said to him as he put a plate of Leo's old favorite breakfast in front of him.

Meanwhile, up at the lake, someone was searching the banks of the river. The cloudy mud was floating up as the person tried in vain to find what they had dumped a month or so earlier.

Frustration got to the person as the person rose up and out of the water with a loud "NOOO!"

* * *

"12, 13, 14! Ready or not here I come!" Leo shouted happily as he looked around the front yard as his brothers wanted to play hide and go seek.

Leo walked silently around as he heard some giggling in the bushes. He quickly ran towards them, jumped high into the air and landed on the other side as he turned around and found no one.

"Awe," he said looking disappointed but looked around the forest of small trees as he then saw Mikey up in a tree. "Found you Mikey!"

"Awe! How can you do that Leo?" he said, not really upset by it because he wanted his brother to find him. In other words: Mikey was holding back for Leo to have a chance at finding him.

Leo smiled and then waited for his brother to come down. With one swift jump, he landed on the ground and then walked over to him.

"Good eye sight. Momma gives me carrots for my eye sight," Leo replied back as Mikey made blah yuck face.

"No offense Leo, but veggies are not all that good-"

"Mikey," Ari said to him from the front porch as Leo then said "They are too. You should listen to _my_ momma!"

Mikey was stunned on this as he waited on the front porch before Leo darted off to the barn.

"I wouldn't want to insult me in front of him if I was you, Mikey," Ari said.

"Even if I wasn't meaning to do so, I was just expressing that sometimes veggies can taste gross," He replied sitting down on the bench swing.

"I know, but he is still learning and so far, he has come a long way," she told him as she saw Raph carrying Leo by his foot.

"Momma! Make him put me down!" Leo demanded with an upside down grumpy face as he crossed his arms over his plastron.

"If he does that, you'll land on your head," She pointed out to Leo.

Leo gasped and then pulled himself up and bit at the joint pressure points in Raph's hand.

"Ow! Leo! That hurts you know," Raph said, not really upset at him since he was a kid and all but had let go of his foot as he landed safely on the ground.

"Then don't hold my ankle," he told Raph which he arched an eyebrow up at him.

"Leo go find Donny. He is the hardest to find right now," Ari told Leo to distract or focus him on the task at hand.

He nodded and then looked around before he walked over to the van was park and then opened the sliding door and found Donny.

"Found you Donny!" he said happily.

"How did you know that I was in here?" he asked him honestly.

Donny had thought this through and he made sure that he was extra careful with his tracks and such.

"Your bo staff gave you away a couple of times, like that of Mikey's giggling in the tree," Leo said, pointing to Donny's bo staff.

"Oh, I should have put this on the floor instead," Donny scolded himself, as Leo helped him out of the van.

"Leonardo, how about you go pack up?" Ari told him as he looked at her.

"What do you mean momma? Aren't we staying here forever?" he asked her, running up to her as she looked down at him.

"No, we only come up here for summer and sometimes extra vacations. Remember me telling you that our visit here was only for a few days?" she said to him as he looked sad now.

"No," He said softly as the others felt bad for doing this to him.

"Leo, we have to go back home, to understand why-" Donny began but his shell cell started to beep.

He pulled it out and then looked at it as Raph then said "What is it now?"

"Someone at home has tricked the security alarm in the sewers, sector 3 tunnel," He informed them as Ari looked confused on this.

"You have security alarms within certain tunnels?" she asked them.

Donny nodded and said "Uh…yeah. Our _Sensei_ wanted it up,"

She got the clue and nodded as she picked up Leo in her arms to just hold him. He hugged her back as he snuggled into her chest.

"Let Raph, Master Splinter and I go back home now. April, Mikey and Casey with that of Arienne and Leo will come tomorrow," Donny told them all as Ari nodded.

"Yay! We get to stay an extra day!" Leo cheered but Ari then said "How about we go pack up?"

"Aaw, _but_ momma!" he protested as she chuckled softly at this.

She walked inside as Donny then told Casey, April and Master Splinter what was going on back at home.

The next day, Ari with Casey and April and Mikey, walked silently in the sewers as Leo looked grossed out at walking down here. Ari softly stroked his head as he looked up at her with his hand covering his nose.

She leaned down and whispered softly "You'll get use to it again Leo,"

Leonardo looked so tired right now. All of last night he was waking up from one "nightmare" after the next. Ari had stayed up comforting him until she couldn't any more. He was thankful that his momma cared so much about him.

As the group got closer to the entrance of the lair, Mikey was in front as Casey was in back while April was in the middle with Ari and Leo.

"Hm..." Mikey said looking around before the entrance then opened up and Mikey with everyone else, crowded around Ari and Leo in a defensive move.

"Mikey, it's okay, just me," Donny told him as they saw it was safe.

"Phew! Got me going there Donny boy," he said and walking into the lair more.

"Momma, do we have to go in? It smells-"

"Leonardo, this is our home," She interrupted him as he pouted and walked inside with her.

Donny could see that overnight Leo had grown some.

"You two can go into your bedroom, it's safe," he told them as Ari nodded and walked more into their home.

"So what happened?" April asked Donny.

"I don't know, I've gone over the security cameras but I have found nothing within them to give me a good shot of whatever or whoever was down here," he answered her as Ari heard this too.

She brought their suit case over and put it over on Leo's bed. The young Leonardo looked around and was in awe.

"This is our room?" he asked her as she smiled at him with a nod.

"Yes, this is our room," she told him.

"Momma, whatever happened to dad?" Leo asked her as she looked shocked.

She never figured he would ask her that question.

"Uh…" She said but then bit her lower lip and looked down at the bed.

His small hand touched hers as she looked over at him.

"I'm sorry Momma. I didn't mean to make you upset," he said to her as she then took him into her arms as she hugged him.

"I'm not upset Leo just…I don't know how to tell you it," she replied to him as he nodded to her.

'_How am I going to explain this to him when his own father is Master Splinter?'_ she thought to herself.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Another chapter bites the dust lol. This climax arc is a bit slow but good, I hope. **_

_**Dondena- I know, but I'm glad you're enjoying this fanfic so far.**_

_**Mindy1981 and KatO93- Thank you for reading and reviewing my fanfic. I appreciate it and hearing from you guys.**_

_**Midnight- I'm not going to stop writing this fanfic, so get that idea out of your head.**_

_**Please read and review, thank you and enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 4.**_

A month had passed and Leonardo was still a kid. Except the fact that he has grown every two days and has remembered his early days with Master Splinter, but he still called Ari his "momma".

During that month Master Splinter thought it would be good if Leonardo was with Arienne all the time. The reason behind this was that he and his brothers would get into massive amount of arguments which always ended with Leo crying and running to Arienne.

She agreed to have Leo within her home and take care of him. At times when she had to order a package or the mail was delivered personally to her house, she had to make the excuse that her "son" was in the costume phase of his favorite hero. She was so thankful that Mikey was a part of the Justice Force or else it just wouldn't fly that well.

Even though she knew that Leo liked having his own room and being in there for quiet time, he still slept with beside Ari at night. She didn't mind this at all.

One morning, Ari woke up like normal; around 6 or so, and smiled when she was saw Leo snuggled close to her as possible and sleeping soundly away.

It was like how human babies are after they are born, crying and waking up in the middle of the night. Leonardo was the same way, but he wasn't hungry for food. Ari would sooth him and make him hot chocolate to calm him down with a story.

The story would always be how the hero would overcome something that wasn't that hard to do; ride the bus for the first time, stand up to a bully ect. Leo would ask if Ari had done those things herself. She told him that she had or haven't, but Leo didn't think that she was lesser then she was.

Her hand softly rubbed Leo's face. His mask was on the nightstand but when she looked at how calm his face was right now, she hoped that today would be better for him.

His memories were getting a bit intense and she was worried for his young age to have him actually relive them. She had asked Donny for help because she felt so helpless to help Leo to confront these actual events. There was nothing that Donny or Ari could do for poor Leo, except just be there for him when he had the flashbacks/ "Nightmares".

His eyes slowly opened and said "Momma…I'm tired,"

She smiled and then replied "I'm sorry Leo, but good morning,"

He groaned and snuggled under his pillow as she chuckled at him.

"You have to get up Leo," she told him as she saw the sheets move in a side to side motion.

"Oh? Why do you want to sleep in?" she asked him gently tickling his sides which he gave a yelp and started to laugh.

"M…Mm…Mmoommma! …Th...that tickles!" he stammered in between laughs.

She smiled at him and then said "Do you want to stay in bed all day or get up?"

"Get up! Get up!" he said loudly as she then stopped tickling but he continued to laugh for another few minutes.

Ari then hugged Leo towards her as he returned it before they got up and out of bed.

"Momma, what are we going to do today?" he asked her as she walked downstairs and towards the kitchen after she had brushed her teeth as did Leo.

"Well," She began to tell him.

But somewhere in the city of hot humid state of Florida, a man had broken into what looked like an abandon warehouse and was quickly out of sight as the sun shined brightly this morning.

He had to be careful. He didn't want his many enemies to know of where he was. But he couldn't get the thoughts of losing his belongs up at the lake within North Hampton.

"I thought it was the ideal spot to hide those there. No one ever goes up near that lake. Not even in the summer," he grumbled low to himself as he walked through to the basement door and hurriedly walked through it.

After the man had arrived to his secret laboratory, he put his white coat on and then turned on his computer system. He went over his files but the anger and frustration was getting to him.

"Momma come on!" Leo said joyfully, running through the sewers as Ari walked normally to the lair.

"Walk don't run, Leonardo," she said to him, using his full name as he sighed and walked slowly.

She gently patted his head as they walked to the lair's secret entrance. After they walked through the door, Donny was there to greet them.

"Hey Arienne and Leo. Time for your check up," he said as Leo groaned with an "Aawe!"

"Leo you'll be fine. You know that Donny is just making sure that-"

"That I am healthy, I know …I _know_," he interjected with a not too pleased look as Donny walked them to the medical bay.

Arienne walked over to the kitchen as she saw Master Splinter at the table drinking his tea.

"Ah, good morning Arienne and how are you and Leonardo?" he greeted her as she smiled and sat down next to him.

"We're good, he didn't have any memories last night," She replied back as Mikey handed her a cup of coffee and breakfast.

"There you go Arienne, can't think or work on an empty stomach now," He told her as she smiled.

"Thank you Mikey. Hey maybe you could possibly make some sushi tonight? Leonardo has been asking if he could try some," she asked of the orange masked turtle.

"I don't know if I can Arienne. Leonardo was always good at making them, even better then Master Splinter. Uh, no offense Sensei," Mikey told her as his father just nodded in understanding.

"Why don't I help you Michelangelo? They say that the best way to learn is from observing," Master Splinter then suggested as Mikey smiled wildly.

"Yeah, that would be awesome!" he told him as Arienne silently ate her breakfast.

"What do you all need for it? Besides rice and seaweed?" she asked them curiously.

"I know a few recipes that I will call April on," Mikey replied as he got up and walked over to the phone to talk to April.

"See, all done," Donny said as he walked Leo out of the medical bay and over to the kitchen where Leo darted over to his mother and she picked him up and sat him in her lap.

"Momma, can I eat what you can't right now?" Leo asked her as his tummy growled for food.

"Of course, I need to talk to your brother Donny anyway," she replied and gently got up before putting Leo in the chair and the green tea pot closer to him.

Donny and Ari walked over to his lab area and then Donny said "He is growing again. It explains why he hasn't had a nightmare or flashback just yet,"

"Oh, yeah that does explain it. But have you found out anymore on the needles?" she asked him as she saw all of them on the organized mess on the table.

"Yes and no. The substances within the needles has Human DNA, the makings of keeping one alive and to keep one immortal somehow. The last one I am still trying to figure out because-"

"Because the human race would love to get their hands on anything to make them immortal," She finished for him with that, which was extremely shocking.

"Yes, but who created them I'm still unsure of," Donny said as he put on his very thick rubber cloves and picked one up as Ari stepped closer.

Her eyes were on something as she asked "Donny, what is that?"

"What is what?" he asked her as she then softly took his covered up hand and turned it over before he twisted the vial a bit and there almost hidden was a symbol of some sorts.

"How come I have not seen or noticed this before?" he scolded himself.

"It's okay Donny, you just needed another pair of eyes," she told him as he looked at her softly.

"You're starting to sound like Leo before he was changed into his turtle tot self," he softly replied as she blushed.

Donny walked over to the big magnifying glass and held the needle under it. The symbol itself was clear and almost blended into the rest of the structure of it.

"You have really good eyes Arienne, I almost missed this!" he said to her as they both looked at it.

"Its okay and what is it of? The Symbol I mean?" She asked him curiously.

"I don't know but I think if I can copy it and then put it into the computer and then run it by everything, we'll get a match soon," he said as she nodded.

Over the past month she has gotten to know Donny, Mikey and Raph all really well.

At first, with Raph, she was nervous but determine for him not to push her around because of his hot temper. Many times she and Raph would get into loud arguments where it was always him walking away from her or else he would have hit her.

There was one argument where he had her cornered; no one but Master Splinter was home as Mikey and Donny were out with Leo at the zoo. Ari was terrified but she stood her ground and continued to argue with Raph. He was questioning if she knew how to take care of Leo because Leo kept on telling Raph that Ari wouldn't give him any sweets after 8 O'clock at night, which is understandable to anyone, but Raph.

The very heated argument ended with Raph flat on his shell as Master Splinter saw what was happening and swiftly stepped in. Raph snapped at out of it as he felt so horrible for what he almost did to Ari but he also lost her trust in the due process.

He has been trying to make it up to her ever since.

Donny and Mikey had learned of this from Master Splinter after he told them that if anyone ever goes after Arienne in a hostile way ever again, they would be banned from seeing her, for life.

Mikey felt so horrible that he had made a few visits to Ari's house. At first, she had smacked him with her broom in a very defensive manner. He told her who he was as she calmed down but wasn't going to let him off that easily.

As Mikey soon found out, Ari didn't trust anyone that was within his family except Donny and Master Splinter. All thanks to the one and only, Raphael.

With each day passing by, he worked hard to earn her trust within him. Taking Leo out to the movies, zoos, theme parks. It helped a lot with Ari since she didn't know what else she could do for Leonardo.

It was one day that Leonardo had gotten a common cold. Not sure if cold medicine would help or worsen his condition, she had Donny come over and take a look. He was determined that it would be safe for Leo to take medication to fight the disease.

Donny has been trying like mad to come up with anything from the needles. But so far, nothing has happened besides him finding the DNA within them. Until now.

Ari leaned against the wall and sighed, her heart ached for her lover to be his normal real age again. Don't get her wrong, she didn't mind Leo being a kid just that she wished he was normal again.

"Don't worry Arienne," Donny softly told her after he scanned the symbol into his computer and started a search on who owned it.

"I try not to Donny, but wouldn't you be worried too if Master Splinter was turned into a kid and a month goes by and wished that he was his old self again?" She asked him.

"You do have a point. But he will turn into his old self again, I promise you," Donny vowed to her as she solemnly nodded.

* * *

SMASH!

The person swiftly crawled through the window before pulling a remote with one button on it out of his pocket. He pressed it as a huge loud explosion could be heard somewhere else within the building.

Warning sirens could be heard before all of the foot ninjas ran to see what was wrong.

Quiet as a mouse, the guy chuckled softly to himself and then snuck into the computer lab area of the Foot headquarters. No one was in there since everyone was pulled from their respectful duties.

"Mm now what is your password?" the man said to himself as he put in a CD into the main motherboard.

A lot of different numbers, letters and symbols were being run and then a Bing sound was heard as he then was in. He looked around and around; setting up silent stuff so that he would be notified if anything else was added.

"Ooh? What is this?" he said, again to himself as he saw the symbol of the Turtles.

He double clicked on it as he saw a camera within their lair.

"Donny don't forget that Arienne would like to know what that symbol means now that you know of who made it," Master Splinter's voice could be heard.

"What?" the man said before he listened some more.

"Don't worry Master Splinter; I'll visit her tonight at her house. She had to do some things around her home; cut down a tree that was filled with termites," Donny explained to Master Splinter as the man chuckled softly to himself.

He quickly hacked this feed with his own stuff before he turned everything off and snuck out the way he had come in.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Okay everyone, here is the next chapter. **_

_**Mindy, this chapter is for you.**_

_**I will do another author's note down at the bottom, for now please read and review, enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 5.**_

"Donny! Raph!" Young Leo said, running into the lair at full speed.

"Leo?" Raph said, getting up from the couch and walking over to him.

"Where's Arienne?" Mikey asked him as everyone hurried over to an out of breath turtle.

"Someone kidnapped my mom!" he said looking up at them as everyone gasped.

"What? How? Where?" Donny asked kneeling down to Leo's eye level.

Leo panted a bit before saying "Momma and I were waiting for you, outside near the cut down tree stump, when the street lamp light cut out and half our neighborhood,"

"We have to go and save her!" Raph growled as he was about to run out but Master Splinter took his arm and said "Wait just a moment Raphael, we need to know more of the story,"

Leo nodded and then said "She said she felt very nervous and could hear a robot nearby. I didn't hear anything until I was shoved or pushed forward and my momma screaming of 'let me go! Leo, run! Don't look back, keep running to the safety' I didn't understand what she meant by that,"

"Keep running to the safety?" Mikey repeated back which to all of them didn't make sense either as Donny thought on it.

He snapped his fingers and then said "She couldn't say lair, because the person of whoever kidnapped her, didn't want them to come here. Leo it's okay, we'll find your…I mean we will find Arienne. But you have to stay-"

"NO! That down beat loser got my mom! I want to go and save her!" Leo interrupted Donny as he stomped his foot with a glare.

Raph knelt down and then said "Leo, you can't be in the way. If something happens to you, all of us including Arienne will regret it. Just please bro, stay here where it's safe,"

"I will stay with Leonardo," Master Splinter said as Mikey, Raph and Donny agreed on that.

"Master Splinter, maybe some tea will help Leo calm down?" Donny suggested to him.

Their father nodded as he walked into the kitchen to fix a pot of tea as Leo then kicked Mikey in the shin.

"Oow!" He said hopping on one foot "That wasn't very nice Leo,"

"I want to go and save my momma!" he snapped at them all.

"Bro, you have to stay here. I know you don't' like it, but you have to got to be kept safe!" Raph growled back, not liking how Leo treated Mikey.

"Leo, come on, show me one of your moves that you learned from Master Splinter," Donny said, walking them into the dojo.

"Mikey you alright?" Raph grunted at him.

"Yeah, but I feel sorry for him," he replied, rubbing the spot where Leo had kicked him.

"Yeah well, think of how he will feel when he is his old self again," Raph piped off.

"What do you mean?" Mikey asked him, looking up at him now.

"Nothing, I'll be right back," Raph said and then walked into the medical bay.

After 45 minutes of intense work out, Donny had finally got Leo to calm down and to drink his tea. But while the brothers were working on a plan to rescue Arienne, something was going on in Master Splinter's bedroom.

It was an hour later that Leo woke up, but he was his 15 year old self. All of his memories up until then returned and when he walked out into the lair, he looked around as no one was there or so he thought.

"Hello?" he asked around as Master Splinter was in the dojo meditating.

* * *

In a white concealed van, Arienne was tied up, gagged and was panicking since she didn't know what was going on.

"Soon enough, sweetheart, they will be coming for you and when they do I'll get what I want after all of this time," the guy said as Ari struggled against the rope.

It took them about 2 hours to get out of the heart of New York City as Ari would sometimes bang herself against the side of the van but, all she would get was a "shut up back there!" from the front.

Closing her eyes and seeing a mental image of Leonardo in her mind, she called out to him for help. In this state, she fell asleep to that normal image of him as the van drove further and further away from New York City.

* * *

"Leonardo, what is wrong?" Master Splinter asked him when he had fallen to his knees.

"A woman, called to me through my mind," he said, shaking his head a bit but, that image of who she was had him curious.

"Arienne Lynn, she has been taking care of you since you have changed into a little boy," Master Splinter said as gently helped Leo to sit down instead of standing up.

"I was? But Sensei, weren't we just fighting the mouser-"

"My son, that was some years ago. All of your brothers are now 25 and so were you," his father interrupted him as he was silent.

"So Ari…" Leo said but a bright flashback of first time he saw her, the first time he helped her shined in his mind. "Ari no!"

Master Splinter gently put his cool hand on his son's shoulder to gently help him deal with these memories. Leo took off his mask and held his head in his hands as he panted heavily.

"Master Splinter!" Raph said loudly from the entrance of the lair.

"Dojo Raph. Look the door is open," Donny told him as all of Leo's brothers came in but were surprised to see Leo grown so much.

"Leo," Mikey said smiling.

"Mikey shut up; can't you see that Leo is in pain?" Raph growled at him.

Donny walked over to them and then said "What happened?"

"Ari…she …she..."

"We'll find her Leo, we promise you that we will find her and she will be safe back in your arms," Donny said, looking at his older brother with reassurance.

"Donatello that is not what he was trying to tell you. He knows that Arienne has been kidnapped, he is getting flash backs of when he first met her, I do believe," Master Splinter informed Donny as he nodded.

"Let's get him on his shell," Donny said as they helped Leo lay on his shell as his eyes were scrunched up and tensed.

Quiet footsteps were heard as Raph softly said "Don't worry Leo, we'll get Arienne back"

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Donny got up and ran to his computer lab area and then said "BAXTER STOCKMAN!?"

"Come on Mikey, we got to see what Donny has just found out," Raph said as they left Master Splinter with Leonardo in the dojo.

They walked up to Donny as Mikey said "What is it Donny?"

"Yeah, and what does this-"

"He was the one who made the needles Raph! And he look here," Donny cut him off and pointed to a blown up clear picture of him attacking Arienne outside of her home. "Kidnapped Arienne. I can't get the picture to zoom in on the license plate of that white van,"

"Wait, isn't that a letter K? No, M? No, I got it! The letter-"

WHACK!

"Ow!" Mikey said as he looked at Raph who had hit him.

"Knock it off Mikey, right now is not the time to be goofing off. Make yourself useful and go help Master Splinter with Leo," Raph growled at him.

"Fine," he said and walked away.

"He's just trying to help Raph," Donny said to him softly.

He nodded but said nothing more as he and Donny watched had happened to Arienne.

"There wasn't that much there when we checked this out. So can you tell me how Leo is his 15 year old self again?" Raph asked Donny as he turned around thinking in his computer chair.

"I don't know Raph, that is a good question," Donny replied back thoughtfully.

Two whole days have passed and so far they weren't anywhere near close to finding Arienne or where she might be.

Leonardo was regaining his memories and more of his emotions for her however he hasn't forgotten how she took care of him when he was kid either.

Every morning he would meditate in his room as he would link his mind with Arienne's but all he could see was nothing. He could hear her voice calling out to him for help.

'_Ari, I'm here. I am with you. It's alright; we're trying to find you. I am with you.'_ He thought strongly to her as he felt her panic, her fear and body being terrified.

'_Leonardo, save me!'_ he then heard in his mind as it was so strong that he gasped. Opening his eyes and looking around the dojo.

"My son? Did you connect with Arienne?" Master Splinter asked him as he walked over to him.

"I heard her thoughts, felt what she was feeling and then she screamed out to me to save her," he said gasping and then looking up at his father for more guidance.

"Hmm. Try it again my son. You must get a connection to her soul to know what is going on with her," Master Splinter replied to him as he then set up more candles, turned the lights off and sat down next to his son.

Leonardo nodded but when he saw a cup of tea, he gently drank from it before he resumed linking his mind to that of Ari's.

"Let me go!" She snapped at Stockman when he had removed her gag rope.

"Oh shut up. I know that the turtles are looking for you right this minute. Why else your precious hot head Raphael, get so angry? Hmm? I bet Raphael is worried with anger," Stockman teased her but, he had the wrong turtle.

Sure, Raph did care about Arienne, but he wasn't going to cross the line with Leonardo to have her as _his_ girlfriend. That would be plain stupid and insane.

She struggled against her bindings as she looked up at Stockman when she saw a needle in his hands.

"MMO!" She shouted through her gag and struggled that much more before she felt the prick sensation of the needle pierce her skin and then all was black within less of 30 seconds.

"ARI!" Leo shouted as he was then on his feet but he was nowhere near her.

"Leo! What is it?" Raph snarled, jumping into the dojo at once.

"My son, calm down, deep breathes," Master Splinter said, putting his hand on his son's shoulders as Leo gasped and then kneeled down.

"He put a needle in her, she's not awake anymore," he said to his family feeling like he had failed to protect the one person who knew him best, besides his family.

"Anymore? What do you mean by that? She's not…She's not…" Mikey said in panic.

"She's alive but unconscious," Leo said as his father and brothers saw a lone tear trickle down his face.

"We'll get her back Leo, I promise," Donny said to him as Leo looked at him and nodded.

* * *

2 weeks have passed since then and Leo had his full memory back as the brothers, master Splinter, with April and Casey all looked and looked for Arienne.

Leo felt like his world had just disappeared. His personal North Star, gone forever.

Donny, April and Master Splinter were all there whenever he needed their guidance.

"We will find her Leo," Donny told his oldest brother one day in the lab.

Leo sat on the cot and said softly "Something is going on Donny. At times I can feel her presences, even when I meditate-"

"Have you tried to connect with her on that kind of level? She might need your help or reassurance," Donny cut in.

"I'll try everything before giving up on her," he vowed as Donny nodded before he got up, got what was needed and then closed his lab door.

"Alright, I informed Master Splinter and he would like to help out too, he is getting the extra stuff," Donny said to Leo who nodded and got most of the things from the floor cleared.

A few minutes later Master Splinter walked in and closed the door. Donny had turned off nearly everything within his room as Master Splinter and Leo sat down and lit some white candles.

"When you feel her presence, my son, hold onto it. The connection that you have with me is strong, normal, but with someone like that of Arienne, it will be difficult," Their father instructed Leo who nodded.

The candles and incents helped calm Leo down enough to clear his mind and as he closed his eyes, Donatello and Master Splinter watched in awe.

'_LEONARDO!'_ Arienne screamed in his mind as he thought back with difficulty _'I'm here Ari!'_

'_I'm sorry! I'm sorry! What I said earlier was wrong and I am sorry!'_ she thought to him as Leo felt her presence weakening.

"No, stay with me Ari," Leo said out loud as Master Splinter meditated right across from his oldest son.

'_Ari, listen to me, you need to calm down. Tell me where you are?'_ Leo thought, trying his hardest to keep her with him.

'_Flo...id…a…I'm…at…or…ida…'_ she thought back before he felt his father's presence and then a calmness to Ari's spirit.

Leo stayed with her for a bit longer before he opened his eyes. Donny and Master Splinter were already up and looking within the state of Florida.

"Donny," Leo said as he got up and walked over to him.

Donny was typing as fast as one mutant turtle could go.

"I know that this may sound strange Leo, but what else did you feel?" Donny asked up at him from his chair.

Leo thought and said "I felt her pain. Like Stockman was doing something to her, like surgery,"

"Then that narrows it down to…Lake Harbor Florida. It's about 7 ½ to 8 hour drive from Miami. If we're going in there, Leo, we will need everyone. Including Doctor Honeycutt and Leatherhead," Donny explained to him.

"Then give them a call Donny," Leo told him before he turned around but what Leo saw was completely different than that of Donny's lab and room.

"What…the hell…" he said more to himself as it was faint but then faded away.

"My son?" Their father asked him worriedly.

"We need to get to Arienne fast. She doesn't have that much time!" he said and then hurriedly walked out of the room.

April and Casey had got the news of where Arienne was and how irritable Leonardo was getting. Leatherhead and Professor Honeycutt were with them as they figured the fastest but also the most expensive way to get to Florida the fastest was through a private jet.

April and Casey chipped in the most as the turtle brothers, Master Splinter and Leatherhead gave them what they all had. Within 24 hours, April and Casey had the private jet and was holding it for a whole day.

The flight was smooth; after everyone was on board and such. Looking out the window, Leo saw images and such. He knew that Ari was trying her hardest to get in contact with him.

Clearing his mind and breathing deeply, his connection to Ari was a bit better than before. He felt her panicked presence as he tried to speak with her again.

'_Ari, just hold on, I'm coming for you. Do not give up, please,'_ he thought strongly to her as he felt her panicked emotions somewhat subsided.

An image floated into his mind as he saw Stockman, Ari strapped to a gurney and him cutting into her. He tried not to let his emotions of rage and anger get to him but that was his Ari being cut into.

'_Leonardo…save me…'_ he barely heard her before he was shaken by the shoulder.

He opened his eyes and saw that the flight was about to land and the shaken part was just turbulence. Leonardo somehow knew that his whole family and friends were racing against the clock. Just how much time they had was uncertain.

After the plane had landed safely, pulled up to a terminal and everyone got out, Casey Jones had to change into his shorts.

"Phew! Is it always this hot here?" he complained as April fanned herself with her hand.

"Stay focus guys, please?" Leo said to them as he didn't know where to go now.

"I rented a van with tinted windows Leo," Donny said softly to him as it pulled up.

"Where are you Ari?" Leo said looking around the horizon.

Donny walked up to him and gently put his hand on his brother's shoulder and softly said "We'll find her, don't you worry Leo,"

"But that is the thing Donny. I do worry. Stockman is going to pay for doing this to her. If Bishop gets a hold of not just Stockman, but Ari as well…" Leo began as Donny shook his head.

"Bishop has no more contact with Stockman, so don't think so much on what could be going on. We need to get in the van and head to Lake Harbor," Donny instructed him which was unusual.

Donny and Leo walked over to the full van and got in as Casey drove them to where Lake Harbor was.

* * *

Huddling in the farthest corner of her human cell, Ari kept a close eye on the door. No light was coming inside as there was no windows. It was complete darkness however her eyes were adjusted to it by now.

Her right hip ached from being worked on thanks to Stockman. She was a bit shocked to feel Leonardo's presence around her when that operation took place.

'_Leo where are you? Why haven't you showed up by now?'_ she thought as tears welled up in her frighten eyes.

She closed her eyes to get some peace within herself when she felt his presence again.

'_Ari I'm here. Do not be afraid of Stockman or whatever it is he is doing to you. Be brave my love,'_ his voice echoed within her mind as she slipped into her dreams again.

Her little nap was cut short when the door busted open and slammed hard against the wall. She jumped out of pure fright but, when she saw Stockman, she whimpered and shook horribly.

"Awe, my dear. I see you have woken up for me," he said with a sickly grin and chuckle.

"Get away from me!" She snapped at him.

"Tut, tut. You will learn then to talk back at me," he said and walked over to her.

Even if her hip was operated on, Ari darted up and hobbled fast. She didn't care if her stitches ripped opened, she wanted to put some distance between herself and that mad man!

The building that she was held captive in was like that of a giant maze. She then decided to lock herself in the operating room. What she was thinking was that if he was going to come after her, she would be armed and ready.

Her stomach was churning horribly, her hip screamed in pain but the adrenaline that was rushing through her system now was dulling the pain for the time being.

Leaning against the wall where the door was, she panted softly until she heard someone coming and held her breathe. A little stupid to do but, she wanted to get out of here and away from Stockman.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," his voice crawled up her skin as she shivered.

His footsteps moved away when he heard nothing and for the next 7 ½ to 8 hours, Ari hid in that room.

It was already night when the van pulled over as Casey and April went to go ask for directions.

"Good going Donny, for getting us all lost," Mikey scolded him.

"Hey, we don't know where Arienne could be. Lake Harbor is huge and from-"

"Everyone quiet," Leo said firmly as his heart raced while he closed his eyes.

Leo felt the tension and aching in his body as if he was Ari.

"My son, what is wrong?" Master Splinter ask him softly as Leo opened his eyes and then turned to the old worn out white building behind the van.

"I think she's in there," He told them as Raph got his sais out and twirled them.

"Then what are we waiting for? An open invitation?" he said impatiently.

"Raphael, stop!" Master Splinter snapped at him. "If we rush in there, Arienne could get hurt or worse,"

Leo at this point in time was starting to get impatient too as he then said "Raph, Donny and I will go in first. Master Splinter and Mikey come in after us if we don't come out within exactly 15 minutes. Casey and April stay here and keep the van running,"

"Alright, but how do you guys get in?" Casey asked him but Leo, Raph and Donny were gone into the over grown long grass.

Panting heavily, Ari ran with her hand on her right hip as Stockman had found her in the operating room few minutes ago.

"Get back here, my dear," he said too sweetly which made Ari run even more.

She tripped over something and then slid a few feet as she groaned. Her stomach lurching with protest as she curled herself in a ball.

When a hand touched her hip, she screamed loudly as she looked up and saw Stockman grinning evilly at her.

"Stockman!" Leo shouted as he jumped down and hit Stockman squarely in the chest, forcing him backwards. "You get away from her, now!"

"Or else what? You pathetic creatures," he said back as Ari shook on the ground.

Donny hurried over to Leo who was standing in front of Ari who was shaking and trying to stay far away from the once brilliant scientist of Baxter Stockman.

"Easy Arienne, it's me, Donny. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to pick you up and carry you to safety," he barely whispered to her as she looked up at him with her pupils dilated.

"Donny," she whined to him as he very gently picked her up.

Raph and Leo attacked Stockman, hitting him in the stomach and forcing him to back up.

"I got her, come on!" Donny said as he held Ari in his arms and ran towards the nearest window and jumped out.

Ari squirmed and wiggled in Donny's arms as she looked over his shoulder in pure pain. She had to see if Leo and Raph made it out alive.

"Easy Arienne, it's okay. I got some stuff to numb the pain," Donny told her when she gripped his shoulder in a tight firm hold.

"Leo…Raph…"She said as there was a blindly white light and then a huge explosion as the building caved in on itself and pitch thick black smoke bellowed up into the sky.

"Leo!" Mikey yelled frantic for his brothers.

"Raphael!" Master Splinter called out too.

The others were shielded by the van from the blast but, when Ari saw Leo helping Raph, she jumped out of Donny's arms and ran to Leo. Master Splinter, Casey and Donny ran over too.

"Leo!" Ari said as she wrapped her arms around his shoulder as he picked her up and held her tightly to him.

"Ari…_my_ beautiful Ari," he whispered back as Casey helped Raph limp over to the van.

"Uh guys, not to be a rain cloud here, but we have to get out of here before the police and the fire department show up," April told them all as they all slowly, got back into the van.

April drove them to a house that was on the beach.

"Whoa April, when did you get-"

"My uncle has this for a vacation home," She interrupted Raph as she parked the van and everyone got out.

During the whole ride to the house, Leo did not let go of Ari. He held her close to him as he kissed and whispered in her right ear.

He slowly carried her bridal style into the house and up the stairs as Donny had seen a huge dark blood stain on her right hip.

"Leo, I need to take a look at her wound here," He informed his protective oldest brother as he nodded, walking them into an empty guest bedroom.

Burying her head in Leo's neck, she whimpered and whined when they had to take her pants off.

"Donny, make this quick and painless," Leo told him as he did not want Ari to be in anymore pain.

His brother searched in his duffle bag and then said softly "This shot will make her sleep and the numb the pain that she is feeling,"

"Okay, give it to her," Leo said, watching as his brother gently pricked Ari's skin and injected her of the shot.

Within a few minutes, Arienne's body went completely limp. Donny took out a needle and stitching thread as he had cleaned the gaping wound on her right hip. Leo tired his best to not say anything negative.

"There, her wound is shut and I do not want her up and about. She tore the stitches that were there before by running from Stockman," Donny said after he was finished.

"I'm going to stay here until she wakes up," Leo told his brother as he nodded and then left the two alone.

Leonardo lied down beside Ari as she slept peacefully now. His hand softly ran through her hair as he heavily sighed with relief.

"You're safe now and that's all that matters," he softly said to himself.

Meanwhile, in the living room, April had the tea pot going as Casey had ordered takeout food.

"Raphael, what was it that made the building blow up?" Master Splinter asked him as Donny tended to his left leg.

"Leo turned into his dragon form again. You know, from the ninja tribunal? He was smaller but he was livid Master Splinter," Raph replied as everyone went dead silent.

"What do you mean that he transformed into his dragon avatar? Your medallions were destroyed after that battle," Master Splinter said confused.

"I know Sensei but, Leo transformed and let loose on Stockman. I don't think we'll be seeing him anymore," Raph replied back as everyone took that into count.

The doorbell rang as Casey and April got up and answered it. Seconds later, the Chinese and pizza boxes were on the dining table.

They stayed the night at April's uncle's house before they set off early in the morning. Thankfully, their lease on the private jet wasn't up until 8 that evening, but they got some of their money back after getting it back to the air port.

During that whole flight, Leo held Arienne to his body as she slept. When they got back into the lair, Leo walked to his bedroom and very softly put Arienne on his bed and covered her up.

A part of him wanted to bring Stockman back from the dead just so that he could kill Stockman again. However Leonardo knew that wasn't like him to think or feel those kinds of emotions, so he sat down in the middle of his bedroom and meditated.

He didn't see the blue symbols appear on him once more or that Arienne had those same blue symbols on her body too.

* * *

_**Author's Note part 2:**_

_**Okay first things first, answer to you guys.**_

_**KatO93, Midnight & Electrogirl88- Thank you for your reviews.**_

_**Now I know that their medallions broke up within the last of the Ninja Tribunal season, but I love dragons and what that season was about. **_

_**So if you guys don't like it, tough. Suck it up and deal with it.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Holy cow! A lot of reviews from the last chapter. And a lot to answer back lol. **_

_**Also I wanted to let you guys know that if I get this wrong I am sorry, I used Google translator to translate English words into Japanese. And Yes I don't speak Japanese.**_

_Chairudo means Child_

_Ai means Love_

_**If any of you get confused. And if I got that wrong I am so sorry.**_

_**Okay I'm going to group you guys since there is a lot to get back to, so don't kill me.**_

_**Mindy1981, Kat093, Midnight and **__**electrogirl88:**__** Thank you for the reviews. Means a lot to me.**_

_**ImpartingAbyss:**__** Thank you for the review and reading this fanfic. Glad to have someone new that likes this fanfic ^_^.**_

_**Marguie:**__** Awe thank you hon. I hope you like what I have in store for this puppy. **_

_**Turtlefanforlife1982:**__** Thank you so much. Glad that you love reading this and reviewing it too. Mean a lot to me ^_^.**_

_**Please feel free to read and review, enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 6.**_

A few days had passed and so far, Ari was waited on hand and foot by Leo. The 8 stitches that were in her right hip were taken out a few hours ago and that was extremely painful for her.

Leo let her grip his shell instead of his hand as he knew that she had a lot of strength for one being so short.

Softly, he rubbed her back as she cuddled into him on the couch. Mikey was not happy about them taking up the TV so much for today.

"Come on Leo, just let-"

"Mikey, no. Ari and I aren't finished with our movies," Leo cut him off as Mikey groaned.

"Besides Michelangelo, you need to train more," Master Splinter said to him as his youngest son heavily sighed.

Ari moved a bit as Leo looked down at her as she continued to move.

"What is it?" he asked her as she sighed.

"I have to go use the restroom, but Donny told me not bend my hips until two days from now," she said, almost complaining to Leo.

"I think Donny would be okay if you did that, I mean your stitches are out and the skin is healed," Leo said, gently helping her up and walking her to the bathroom that was inside Don's bedroom.

A few minutes later, both Leo and Ari were back on the couch as Leo softly kissed and nuzzled her right cheek. His soul clenched at the idea that he had almost lost her, forever.

"What's on your mind Leo?" she asked him, softly stroking his neck and chin.

With the soft smell of oranges from the soap that she used from the bathroom, Leo heavily sighed.

"Nothing is wrong, just thankful that you're here in my arms again," he said, relaxing and resting against her body.

She looked up at him and then said softly "I'm here now; stop worrying so much of what happened to me. It wasn't your fault Leo,"

Every single cell within Leonardo's body screamed that it was. If he wasn't his toddler self, then he could have saved Ari from Stockman. He heavily sighed and snuggled into her, holding her snuggly to him as he fought to listen to her words.

Leo almost hummed with approval when she started to rub the back of his neck.

"I think I should be the one to make you happy and relaxed. Not the other way around?" he lightly or dryly teased her.

She giggled at him and then leaned up as she softly kissed him on the lips. Shock flooded his body, as they were out in the open to display this kind of intimate affection towards one another to his whole family.

Leonardo closed his eyes as he softly returned the kiss as his right hand cupped the back of her neck. He moved a bit so that his body wasn't fully crushing her own as he continued to kiss and nibble her lower lip.

Raph, Donny and Mikey watched from Donny's Lab area and were smirking or smiling at one another.

"Looks like Fearless finally caved, on showing her his love and such," Raph softly said to his other brothers.

"I wouldn't say that he caved Raph. Just from what both of them have gone through, I would say, it is best to show their emotions now as both of them are safe instead, of showing them in the middle of battle," Donny replied in a thoughtful way.

"I somewhat agree with Donny, Raph. Leo didn't cave in; just let his emotions show for the first time to her. Though I do hope that he won't beat himself up over what happened in-"

THWACK!

"Shut up Mikey. We all agreed not to bring it up or mention it at all today. And you know Leo will do that anyway. Being within his shoes isn't easy, like you said long ago," Raph snapped at him as he a got a glare from his baby brother.

"Michelangelo, your break time is up," Their father said to him as he winced but walked slowly into the dojo to return to his training again.

Donny and Raph snickered and chuckled as they then watched their oldest brother, sleeping on the couch with his girlfriend.

"Say, Raph?" Donny whispered low to him.

"What," he grunted back, with his arms crossed over his chest; acting all big and bag.

"How about you help me with an idea. We can tell Leo that he made it for Arienne, for tonight's dinner," Donny expressed to him as he dragged Raph more so into his lab.

"I'm not helping-"

"Raph _please_? It would make Leo and everyone else feel better, mostly that of Arienne. She doesn't know all that much of how the building collapsed or that Leo had transformed into his dragon avatar again. I'm still trying to figure that one out," Donny explained more to him.

Raphael heavily sighed and then said "Alright Donny, I'll help but, if you mention this to anyone-"

"Don't worry Raph. To make it up for you, I'll change out your oil on your shell-cycle for a whole month," Don interrupted him again.

"Don't you do that anyway?" He teased his brother who just rolled his eyes as they headed out to April's.

* * *

The whole lair was quiet when Donny and Raph came back from April's place.

"Where is everyone?" Raph asked as they brought the groceries over to the kitchen table.

"I don't know," Donny replied as he looked in the dojo and saw Mikey passed out sleeping as their father was meditating.

Raph chuckled as he looked near the bedrooms. The door to Leonardo's was closed.

"I guess I know what they're doing up-"

"Don't be ridiculous Raph. Leo wouldn't jump the gun on Ari like this," Donny told him firmly.

Within Leo's bedroom, he and Ari were actually kissing one another but with her lying on top of Leo. A soft rumbling churr came out of him as she pulled back and ended the kiss.

"Liking this Leo?" she teased him as he groaned and shifted his legs a bit.

"Yes…but, Mmm…" he moaned out, trying to get his emotions under control.

Her hand softly stroked his left hip as he focused on breathing deeply. This was sweet pure torture to the leader and right now he was fighting to keep his hardening member within his protective shell.

Arienne knew that he was having a _hard_ time as she snickered and looked up at him.

"What's …Mm…so funny?" he moaned out to her.

"Oh I was just thinking of how big and bad you are during battles and such, and yet here you are, crumbling at my softest touches," she teased him, still softly stroking his hip as he couldn't take it anymore and then rolled them over.

Ari gasped as she looked up at a very hot, panting, Leonardo.

He made sure that he wasn't hurting her hip or her body as he then captured her lips with his and churred very loudly, long and deeply.

After a while he pulled back and looked into her eyes and said "Very funny Ari,"

She couldn't help but smile back at him. Leo lay down beside her, wrapping her up in his arms and holding her there. Being who she was, Ari moved and pressed her body up against Leo's as he closed his eyes and moaned softly.

"You will be the death of me one of these days," he whispered in her ear as she giggled at him.

"Mm I know, but at least it will be a pleasurable kind of hell," she replied back as Leo chuckled.

"Mikey, get away from that door!" they heard from outside of Leo's bedroom.

Ari looked at the closed door as did Leo as they both wondered what Mikey was up to now.

"Awe, come on Raph! You have to-"

"I don't have to wonder. I know what Leo is doing in there and I know it's not screwing his girlfriend's brains out," Raph growled heatedly as he took Mikey's mask ties and pulled him away.

"Ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Mikey complained as Leo and Ari were snickering at this.

Ari turned around and then snuggled into Leo's chest. He pulled her close as he then got the blankets over them as they soon fell asleep for a nap.

It was a few hours later that Ari woke up alone in Leo's bed. She looked around the bedroom as there was one candle lit for her to see around his room, safely.

She pulled the blankets away from her as she got up from his bed. She noticed a trail of red rose pedals leading from the bed, towards and out the door.

Curious, she followed the trail by opening the door and the candle blew out, but made a detour to the bathroom. After she had washed and dried her hands, she walked back out into the hallway and then followed the trail again.

Her eyes were only on the trail as Donny, Mikey and Raph all saw her walk into the dojo. The three younger brothers grinned at one another as they scampered to get a good seat.

Ari looked around the dojo and then said softly "Leo? You in here?"

"Yes, Ari I am here," Leo replied as he was blushing very noticeably and had a bouquet of her favorite flowers in his hand.

A little curious, she walked over to him as he was in the middle of the dojo. Leonardo swallowed thickly as he couldn't believe what his brothers dared him to do. Mostly that of Raph and Mikey.

"Are these for me?" she asked him, looking at the red roses and carnations with white baby's breath.

"Yes, I…I hope you like them," he said, nervously giving her the bouquet.

She gently took the flowers and then walked up to Leo and softly kissed him on the lips. Leo felt like he was walking on air as he returned the kiss.

Three collective gasps were softly present as Leo pulled back and looked at Ari. He didn't see anything out of the normal like Donny had told him, but then again he was looking directly into Ari's hazel brown eyes.

"Will you be my girlfriend, Ari?" Leo asked her as she looked up at him and smiled softly.

"Yes I will," She told him as he smiled more and then kissed her softly on the lips again.

"Fascinating," Donny whispered as he got all of this on the video camera.

"What is it Donny?" Raph asked him as they all left the two love birds alone.

"We all thought that when our amulets or whatever, were broken that we didn't think that our powers would come back. Or were just dormant until we found a respectful mate," he replied as they were now in his lab.

"Say that again?" Raph asked him confusedly.

"Leo glows his tribunal symbols whenever he is happy with Ari or that he knows that she is happy and safe with him. When he saw and knew that she was in danger back in Florida, in that building where Stockman held her captive, he became his avatar again to protect her," Donny expressed in the lamest terms to his younger brothers.

"So, if Leo glows whenever he is with Arienne then does that mean it can happen to us too?" Mikey asked him curiously.

"Yes, but it has to be with someone that is almost like us. Good example is Leo and Arienne. They're both leaders. Leo shows it by example to us; Arienne shows it by her caring ways but demands it silently. If we ever do meet that someone, we won't feel any different. Just many people call it true love," Donny answered him as both Mikey and Raph nodded silently on this one.

Meanwhile, Leo had then started to show Ari his new moves as she watched him. It was very interesting to her since she has never seen him go through his training, well as an adult.

"The guys are really," He huffed out "Going to kill me for doing this,"

"Oh? Why? I don't see the harm of training," She told him as he stopped and looked over at her.

He had forgotten how understanding she was to him and that shocked him.

"You okay?" she asked, seeing how he was staring at her.

"Yeah, just …thank you," he said unsure of how she would take it.

Arching a slender eyebrow up at him she then replied with, "You're welcome,"

Leo nodded as he then continued his training.

"Uh, Leo!" Raph snarled at him in disapproval.

"Raphael, I don't mind Leonardo training, unlike _some_ lazy bones I see right now in the door way of the dojo," Ari riled back as Leo chuckled at this.

"Whoa there girly! I'm not the lazy bones around here, that would be Mikey," Raph said back smirking.

"Hey! I _do_ to train!" Mikey said in his defense.

Donny and Leo chuckled as the brothers were in the dojo now.

"I see that all of you are in here, good. We shall begin," Master Splinter then said as everyone was quiet.

"But Master Splinter, Leo was about to go on his date with Arienne," Donny protested.

"He can do that, afterwards," Master Splinter said as Donny nodded but then exited the dojo.

Master Splinter allowed it to happen but knew that his brilliant son would be back. Donny returned in a few seconds as Ari looked at him confusedly.

"Left the oven going heh," he said to her with a wink as she snickered and then looked at the others.

Leo however was a bit tense. He glared at Donny softly as he joined the ranks of his brothers.

Master Splinter had them there for a good few hours. Pushing them harder than before but it was Arienne who saw something was different about him. He looked almost red in the face.

"Donny," She said, as everyone halted and looked at her, but then looked over at Master Splinter.

"I am fine, Miss-"

"No, you're really abnormally red in the face," she cut in as Donny; tired as he may be, walked hurriedly over to them.

"She's right Sensei, you are abnormally red. Let's finish for today and then I can treat you for it," Donny said as then all of the brothers crowded around Master Splinter and Arienne.

"Come on, let's get you to the medical bay and you can rest. Leo, I will need you," Donny told them, helping Master Splinter walk slowly across the dojo and to the medical bay.

"I'll be right there Donny," Leo said seriously.

Everyone was walking after Donny as Ari stayed behind. Her eyes locked on Leo's, which were like that of sun with such intensity.

His soft touch of his hands gently taking her own as he looked at her. She didn't know what he was going to do and she was a bit frightened. Suddenly Ari felt his arms around her in a very soft but snug hug. She snuggled into Leo's body, wanting to be as close to him as possible.

"Go, Master Splinter needs yo-"

"The both of us. Come on," He cut in as he looked down at her as she nodded slowly.

They walked to the medical bay but Ari only stayed in the doorway. With four mutant turtles and a mutant rat to be in a medium sized room was a little small from Ari's point of view.

Leo had asked Donny what was wrong the moment he entered.

"Well his blood pressure is really high, giving him some meds to get it back down to normal," Donny said hurriedly as the human heart monitor machine was already hooked up and placed on Master Splinter's chest. Keeping a good eye on his heart and breathing.

Mikey was holding Master Splinter's hand as he was busy with the small stuff; making sure that their father was comfortable, talking about the weather, what April was doing and other things like that.

Raph was next to Mikey but near the foot of the medical bed as Leo was standing near the wall to the left as they let Donny do his thing.

Donny was busy, giving vitamins, up to date shots and other stuff to Master Splinter. Slowly his blood pressure was going down as Donny glanced over his shoulder with a smile on his face but it died.

He saw Ari looking down at the ground; a frown nestled quite nicely on her face as she had a poker face on. Though he saw a glimpse within her brown hazel eyes and what he saw there he didn't like at all.

"Leo," he softly said as he nodded towards the door.

Leo looked over as he saw Ari turn around and slowly walk away. Seeing how distressed she was, he walked outside of the medical bay and gently tapped her on the shoulders.

Her jumping out of fright told Leo that her mind was somewhere else, but he ignored that for now as, he gently took her into his arms once again and held her.

"He's okay Ari. Master Splinter is okay," he whispered softly, gently rubbing her back in comfort.

She nodded, as Donny came out after he told Mikey and Raph that Master Splinter is going to be okay now.

"Arienne?" Donny asked her as Leo pulled back and around her so that she could look at Donny.

"How is he Donny?" she asked him in almost emotionless voice.

"He's going to be okay. It was a good thing that you caught that or he would have been gone right now," Donny replied softly, not wanting to upset her any further.

She nodded and sighed as she looked at the ground again.

"That's good," She said hiding within herself as both of the brothers saw this.

"How about you help with making some tea? Donny, will that be good for Master Splinter?" Leo asked, looking at his brother but still holding Ari close to him.

"Non caffeinated please. Right now, I want his heart to be resting and after this, I am personally going to go through everything that we own and changing our meals. After this scare, I don't want to…well you know," He said firmly and determinedly.

"Yeah," Leo said in agreement as he softly kissed Ari's forehead and then gently walked them to the kitchen.

Arienne was already looking through the stuff that they had and put what was "bad" on the counter.

Leo just let her do this, he never knew what happened with her parents, but he had a feeling that they had passed and it was a deep sensitive wound within her heart.

Sometime later, when the boys were relaxed and doing their own thing, Ari walked into the medical bay. Master Splinter wasn't going to be in here for much longer, just for the night as Donny wanted to be sure.

"Sensei?" she softly said to him from the doorway as he was resting but opened his eyes to see her.

"Come in Chairudo," he replied softly as she walked slowly into the room and softly closed the door.

"I see fear and worry in your soul right now," he stated as she sat down next to his bed on the left side.

She nodded in time with his heart beeping away on the heart monitor.

"Leo doesn't know how hard it was for me during those two years that he was gone. I wished for a long time that he would show up, but he never did," she told Master Splinter with warm hot stinging tears in her eyes.

Master Splinter very gently lifted his hand and softly cupped her face.

"But he was always with you Chairudo. I had wondered why he was so distracted on what was going on around him. Even if his brothers or I were in danger," he told her as she listened to him.

"How so?" she asked wanting to know and listen more of him.

To Arienne, in the short amount of time of just seeing, meeting and being around Master Splinter, she had grown very fond of him as a second parent or grandparent.

"He would meditate for long hours. A lot longer then he usually does and he would practice harder on his training. I remember one time where Michelangelo was flipping through the channels on the TV where suddenly a beautiful young woman, with dark brown hair and hazel brown eyes showed up.

Leonardo snatched the remote out of Michelangelo's hands so fast that he did not know who took it but, when we all saw how Leonardo was acting and behaving, we knew something was going on within his mind and soul," Master Splinter expressed to her as she blushed at that.

Ari was interviewed by the local news when she bravely took out a burglar with just her broom.

"I knew then from how my oldest son was behaving that this young beautiful woman was you. I knew that my son had fallen in love with you when that story aired on the local news. It explained a lot of things that were not making any sense. And so after that had aired and after his brothers gave him a hard time, he still sat there watching nothing.

He did not come to me on why he was behaving so abnormal. He showed it in his training and I knew that one day I would meet her," Master Splinter said to her as she blushed at all of this but looked at him.

"One day I will not be here, you know this Chairudo. The fear that you showed me and to my sons is noted and they will need your help and guidance when that day comes but, they will be there for you too when you need a pillar to hold onto," Master Splinter said to her, gently taking her hand into his.

Arienne looked away with threatening warm tears in her eyes. She hated to speak of death but knew it was a part of life.

A soft knock was heard as she softly said "Come in,"

The door opened as there stood Leo looking worried but then unsure if he should have interrupted them.

"Ari, uh…I didn't-?"

"It's okay Leo. I just wanted to make sure that your father was alright," she interrupted him as he nodded silently.

"I am better now, thank you Chairudo for checking up on me," Master Splinter told her as she nodded, knowing when she was dismissed when she was told.

Even if she was reluctant to leave, Leo gently kissed her forehead in comfort as Donny came in with dinner.

Gently putting his hands over her eyes, Leo let her back up into him as he smiled softly at her.

"Don't worry Ai, I got you," he said to her as she nodded.

Leo helped walked her to the living room and then over to the kitchen as he then kicked a chair out for her to sit down on.

"Okay, feel around with your hands to the left, there will be a chair for you to sit down on," he instructed her.

"What I can't see what you did? I hope you didn't blow up the kitchen since the poor toaster is your enemy," she teased him as she chuckled at that.

Leo rolled his eyes with a smile as he helped her to sit down on the chair. He softly removed his hands from her eyes as he was nervous on this.

Arienne opened her eyes the first chance that his hands were removed. She gasped at what she saw in front of her.

The lights were dimly lit as it made the place dark.

There was a red checkered table cloth, two plates with spaghetti and meat balls with garlic bread, some red wine that Ari wasn't very fond of drinking but this time she will allow it. On top of the table were two lit candles and a bouquet of flowers.

"Oh Leonardo," She said smiling at this. "This is beautiful, thank you so much,"

He smiled proudly as he then leaned down and softly captured her lips with his own. Softly sucking her lips upward and then broke it as gently as he could.

"You're most welcome Ai," he replied to her as he went and sat across from her.

Leo and Ari ate in silence but Leo held her hand softly in his.

His brothers watched from a distance since they all chipped in to help make this a wonderful dinner experience for Ari.

"They better leave me some of that-"

"Shh Mikey!" Raph hissed at him.

"But-"

"Nothing now, shut up!" Raph growled at him as Mikey huffed with his arms across his chest as Donny then turned on some romantic slow music as then Leo and Ari got up to dance.

Raph and Mikey were silent as they watched their oldest brother fall even more in love with his girlfriend as they danced slowly to the romantic music that played from the TV.

"I love you Ari," Leo whispered in her ear as they slowly turned.

"And I love you Leo," She replied looking up at him.

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips again.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's note:**_

**I think it is safe to say that after the media coverage and news of the passing of the great late Robin Williams, it was or is tragic.**

**Many of you don't know this about me, but to me Robin was always there to help make my childhood come alive. That it is okay to be a kid and to have fun. **

**His passing is hitting me so hard because he made the world smile and laugh with him. I just wish we could have done something to have helped him.**

**My updates will be slow because of his passing. Please read and review, thank you and enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter 7.**_

It was a week later since Ari was down in the lair. She had to go topside to see if her house was okay. So far all was in order.

She was inside her home as she wanted some space from the guys. Leo let this happen, knowing how upset she was when Master Splinter almost had his heart attack. That was what Donny had figured was about to happen if they didn't catch it in time but thankfully they did.

Arienne was getting text messages from Donny about how Master Splinter was doing and so far he was doing a lot better now. He was a bit upset that he couldn't eat certain foods; like his cake and sushi, but understood why.

During the time that she was with the turtles and her boyfriend, she had some missed messages from her friends. Mostly that of her friend Miranda or Minny.

Miranda was a famous professor in biology and treating to oil spills in the ocean and also on land. And even though that Miranda was usually busy, she was friends with Ari.

How they became friends was through Ari's old job at the museum. Where she was giving tours and such, thanks to Leo and his family a few years ago.

She had just picked up the phone and dialed Miranda's number when she heard a knock at the front door. She walked to it with her trusty broom in hand as she opened the door real fast but when she saw a red head with cool blue eyes with a very petite body frame and good size boobs, she couldn't help but hug her.

"Minny!" she said to her after she bear hugged her.

"Ari!" Minny replied back smiling.

"What …what are you doing here?" Ari asked her confusedly.

"Well since you were _not_ answering me, I thought I stop by and see what was up," she stated and brought in her luggage as Ari didn't know what to say on this one.

Ari looked down and then bit her lower lip. What should she say?

'Oh hey Miranda, I was attacked, held in captivity by a lunatic scientist that you admired as a kid growing up, and oh yeah, he tried to kill me, my boyfriend and his family and friends'

That would go over like a fart in the wind.

"Friends of the family are in a …bit of a …some help," she said, which wasn't entirely wrong but wasn't the exact truth either.

Miranda looked at her and then said "how bad was or is it? I can help you out"

"No its okay, I …I got this handled. And its okay, I don't know if my friends would be okay with it since they give so much of their time volunteering and such. To them they don't know what to say until you told them that you already did it with sheepish grins and such," Ari cut in.

Miranda nodded in true understanding, which was true. The turtle brothers felt unsure of how to respond back if someone gave them food besides a sheepish thank you.

Then both of their phones rang as they excused themselves to talk to the person. Miranda had her publicist to deal with as Ari was talking to Leo.

"Hey, I just wanted to check up on you," he sweetly told her.

"Miranda is here and it looks like I'm going to have a few days and nights with her. I forgot that she kept calling here but I wasn't here to answer her," Ari softly replied back.

"It's okay. So tell me more about her, please?" Leo asked her nicely as Ari did.

"Miranda is a professor; I think Donny knows of her-"

"WAIT THE PROFESSOR MIRANDA TAYLOR!" Ari winced from Donny screaming into the phone.

"Donatello!"

"Donny!" both their father and brothers yelled at him.

"Tell him to stop by any time he wants…" Ari said but heard something before a soft bang and then said "Hello?"

"I'm here; Donny is on his way, which I will need to keep an eye on him. I swear he's acting abnormal now that he knows you're friends with this famous professor," Leo informed Ari.

Ari heard a soft tap on the master bedroom window and saw Donny quite literally hanging from the branches. She quickly opened the window and dragged him inside as she put the phone down.

"Keep quiet, stay in here and if you get too restless I'm giving the green light for Leonardo and Raphael along with Michelangelo to have a hay day in your lab. Got it?" She said seriously to him which he slowly nodded.

Another tap to the window was heard as she turned and saw Leo quietly stepping through.

"Sorry. I think it's just better this way, so I can keep him back," Leo informed her.

"Its okay I told him that you and your younger brothers can destroy his lab if it gets out of hand," she informed Leo as they heard Miranda calling for Arienne.

"Coming," she replied before she walked up to Leo, softly kissed him on the lips and then walked away as Donny chuckled to himself.

"So what would you like to do?" Miranda asked her as she thought on this.

"How about we go shopping, I need some new clothes and such," Ari said to her.

"Alright let's go to the mall!" Miranda replied smiling as the two women got their purses and locked the house up.

Ari and Miranda were out in the mall looking at clothes, weird kitchen stuff and other things that the mall had.

During that whole time, Donny and Leo were at Ari's home, looking after it.

"Donny, why are you acting so…and I mean this by no offense, little brother"

"Abnormal on Professor Taylor? It's quite simple Leo, I have looked up to her work since her college days and that was a bit ago," Donny finished for him as Leo had made them some tea and were in the parlor room.

"You quite literally ran out of the lair to just to see her. I think Abnormal doesn't even describe what you did," He said lightly as Donny nodded.

"I don't' know why I did that. Just that, this could be my only chance to actually know how her brain works. How she can come up with different equations and such, without her freaking out that I'm-"

"Don't think that she will freak out. Remember she is friends with Ari," Leo interrupted him as a reminder that people; a small number, do accept them for what they are.

"I'm sorry Leo. It's just that I forget how accepting Arienne is with us. It's almost undetected with her personality," Donny expressed to him as Leo took a sip of his warm green tea.

He put his cup down on the coffee table and said "I know. At times I have to stop myself from being so hard and negative about the 'what ifs' part. But I still can't get her screaming out of my head,"

A soft hand of his brother softly rubbed his shoulder in comfort, knowing that those things about their life won't ever go away.

Leo's mind wandered to Ari's as he wondered how she was doing.

"Leo maybe you can help me understand why your tribunal symbols show whenever you are with Arienne?" Donny asked him, again.

"Donny, I already told you, I know why they glow. I honestly thought that they would never come back, but if it has to do with the one true shredder, then I would most likely defend Ari against him," Leo replied back, nearly growling at the end there.

"Easy, I was just curious,"

"I know Donny; just…she means the world to me. And I know that many people say that when they're in love, but this is different,"

"How so?"

"Uh…when I saw her when I was kid, that first time when I opened my eyes, it felt strange but I knew that I was safe as long as she was with me. It was fun to be a kid again, but I know that Ari or I will never be able to have kids, which is something that has plagued my mind for a long time,"

"Not answering my question Leo,"

"I don't know how to put it Donny. She's my world within a world; she's what I have been looking for all the wrong reasons in Karai but has my deepest trust. I would never hurt her, not as long as I can help it. She knows that if anything goes wrong; like I get killed, that she can marry someone. I know it will hurt her but, she knows this. We talked about this,"

"You are alright if-?"

"If anything happens to me, I don't want her to live a life with sorrow or grief. Sure I know she will hold a special place in her heart of me and our time, but, I want her to move on and live it too,"

"Is that why you left her for-?"

"No and yes. No because I knew that what we have is nothing like anything she has ever gone through and I love her truly. Yes because our enemies were getting to know us a little too much. I didn't want her life to known to them, but I did the best that I could,"

"I would say that you did an excellent job, and I guess it's a bit more complicated than I thought,"

"Explain to me why you love Professor Taylor and you will know why I love Ari," Leo stated to his younger brother who then finally understood why.

The door knob then jingled as the brothers then put their tea cups in the sink and disappeared in the master bedroom. Just in the nick of time, they heard the girl's laughter echoing sweetly around the walls.

Ari and Miranda then put their stuff away as Leo snuck in a kiss or two when his girlfriend was alone. It was fascinating to Donatello as he took notes.

That late afternoon and evening, Ari and Miranda watched movies, talked, had Chinese take out for dinner, talked some more and started to watch the news.

"So what do you have a boyfriend?" Miranda asked her in a joking way.

"Minny! You know that I do," Ari said back but Minny didn't know if she was joking or not.

"His name is Leonardo or Leo for short. And I guess it all started..." Ari began, Minny listened in really carefully.

Arienne had to come up with some lies here and there; like what Leo look liked, how they had to look after his nephew for a week or so. Minny though back and then it all clicked together.

"So when can I meet him? I have good punch or two for what he did to you during those two years that he wasn't there for you," she nearly growled.

"Oh, no you won't. You won't hurt my boyfriend," Ari said back in a growl of her own.

Minny laughed and then said "Hey if I do ever get to meet him, can I give him some stuff from my lab?"

"No! I am not going to let you poison him after what he had done to me. I know that you love me as a little sister Minny, but no," Ari told her as she nodded.

"Can you explain to me why you're back together with him? I mean, there has to be something there,"

"I can't explain it. I know that you were there helping me just to get through it but"

"There will always be that pull or thread connecting you to him," Miranda softly finished for Ari who nodded.

"Yes. Leo is different from any guy that I know of. He's really mature for his age, always thoughtful of others, defensive when it comes to his friends, family and loved ones," Ari replied as she then thought to herself _'let alone he is a mutant ninja turtle'_.

Miranda nodded as that night the girls watched movies, talked about the latest in Hollywood and other stuff. They went to bed around 11-ish.

Ari was in bed, her mind lingered on Leo when the soft breeze came through. She sat up and when she saw the shadows of Leonardo, she couldn't help but smile and get up and out of bed.

His arms were silently open for her as he wrapped her up and held her tightly.

"I have missed you," he whispered low in her ear as she held onto him.

"I missed you more," she whispered back as she leaned up and softly kissed him on the lips.

"Mm," he moaned as he softly walked her back to the bed. Ari wasn't afraid of Leo, why shouldn't she be? But, when her thighs hit the back of her bed, she pulled away from his dangerous lips and cuddled into him.

Breathing a bit heavily, he held her to him as his breathing and heart rate slowed down and became normal again.

"Stay with me?" she softly asked him, getting drowsy.

"I have to patrol right now," he replied, not liking it but knowing that if he did it, she would be a lot safer.

She looked up at him from his shoulder as he looked down.

"I'll be back in the morning Ari," he promised her.

"In bed, sleeping closely to me," she told him in a demanding voice.

He nodded and then gently picked her up and put her into her bed as he got her all comfortable.

"I'll be back soon, I promise Ai," he said kissing her on the lips before getting up, opening the window and stepping through it as he softly shut it.

Ari heavily sighed and fell asleep soon after.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note:**_

**I know I know. Long time since I updated and I told you that the death of Robin Williams hit me hard. **

**Now most people will think "well that is just an excuse" **_**excuse me **_**but people grieve differently from one level to the next. It's not an "excuse" **_**people grieve differently then you.**_

**Thanks guys for the reviews and I hope you like what I wrote up. **

**Many times I would write something; somewhat okay, then delete it, write some more and then delete it. UHG! So annoying! With what I wrote here is what **_**IIII**_** consider is good. **

**Minya and Dondena, this chapter is for you. Please read and review, thank you and enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter 8.**_

She was stealthy, silent and above all ran like there was fire right behind her. The shadows embraced her like that of princess embracing her homeland.

The clouds that night rolled sluggishly in and trapped the moisture as it slowly began to rain. It was perfect as the woman jumped from one roof top to the next.

Silent footsteps were behind her as she jumped high, tucked and rolled as she faced her members.

"Stay away from me!" she screamed at them.

The soft sound of the dart guns going off, she screamed more and then hid behind a storage shed as she then took off running again.

"Get her! Use the taser guns if you must, but do not and I repeat, _do not kill her_," one of them said to the others as they ran after the woman.

"Yes sir!" one of the men replied back as they ran after the woman.

Meanwhile, down in the sewers, in a hiding place where no one knows of, the turtles were doing their evening training.

Grunting, screaming "Hia!" and twisting their bodies around to do the moves, one pair of human eyes were on one turtle.

She couldn't help but smirk at the one in the blue mask. Her eyes looked over his sleek sweaty body as he couldn't help but put more effort into his training.

THUD!

"And halt. That will be all for tonight, my sons," Their father, Master Splinter said to them after he clanked his walking staff on the floor.

The turtles bow in respect but then all four collapsed to the ground.

"Ah…it hurts….to move!" Mikey whined, panting heavily.

"Who in the hell wants to move?" Raph groaned out, his chest was heaving too.

Leo was kneeling on the ground as they all heard clapping from Ari.

"That was really good guys, but Leo…I think you need a shower," she said but teased her boyfriend as his brothers chuckled at this.

With a soft blush, he forced himself to stand and then walked over to Ari as she then put one finger on his plastron, keeping him at arm's length.

"I mean, it, you need to shower. Like now," she told him, holding her nose.

"Alright I will, but maybe you can tell me more of your time with Miranda?" he asked her as that go Donny's attention real fast.

"Sure, but shower now," she told him as he nodded and walked towards the bathroom.

"What about Minya?" Donny asked her as she turned and looked at him.

"Minya?" she said back.

Donny blushed deeply and said "Sorry, it's just my personal nickname for her,"

"Yeah, and you haven't even met her yet, Don," Mikey teased him as Donny shuffled his feet blushing more so.

"How about you guys go shower first and then I can tell you and Leo my time with Minny okay?" Ari told them as they groaned but did as she said.

Leo was out first as he walked downstairs and over to where Ari was. She was in the living room watching some TV as she looked and smiled at him.

"Hey, you smell nice," she teased him as he sat down besides her, putting his arm around her.

"Gee thanks," he replied as she snuggled into him and waited for the others.

They arrived as they saw Leo snuggling with Ari.

"You know we can come back for another time?" Raph said to them as he sat down in his lounge chair.

"Nah, it's okay," she replied as Donny sat down on the sofa.

"So what was she like?" he asked her impatiently.

"Wait, wait!" Mikey said as he sat down on the floor listening now.

This made Ari giggle as she told them what she and Miranda did while she was staying with her. Leo had missed Ari during the time that she was away, but he didn't mind it.

Donny was hanging on every word that Ari was telling them and when he asked her questions on Miranda, his tribunal signs would glow.

"I think Don has found his true love," Raph teased as Mikey snickered.

"Oh shut up! Just because she is beautiful at what she does"

"It's okay Donny, she is single if you were curious," Ari interrupted him before it got out of hand.

Smiling softly at the ground he blushed but his tribunal signs still glowed.

"What do your avatar dragons looked like?" Ari asked them all as Leo looked down at her.

He wanted to say no to her, but he knew that he would hurt her feelings so he gently got up. She got off of his lap as he walked into the dojo and when he was in the middle of it, she saw his signs glow.

"Leo you can't seriously"

"He is Raph and it's not that bad to be curious of something," Donny interrupted him as there was a blinding white light.

There stood where Leo was, his dragon avatar but much smaller. A couple of gasps could be heard as Ari walked closer to her boyfriend.

'_Do not be afraid. I will not hurt you,'_ she heard in her mind but felt like a mild headache as she winced and put her hands near her temples.

A cool scaly skin rubbed against her left lower forearm as she opened her eyes and looked at Leo. He looked concerned; his golden eyes looked much bigger; more richer in color.

It was in that moment that Ari felt her heart open and spread its wings more so as she heard more gasps, including that of Leonardo.

When she opened her eyes, looked around, wondering why she was shorter but when she saw her four talons and claws, she swallowed as she slowly got to her feet.

'_Ari are you alright?'_ Leo had asked her in her mind as she looked at him.

'_I never knew that I could do that. Do I look okay for a dragon?'_ she asked him, not really answering him just yet.

He looked at her and was in awe of her. She had no horns on her head; her body was like that of old European Dragons that he has seen on the internet. Her wings were sleek, a lot more powerful than his own, but as he looked at her tail he noticed it was just very slim, slender.

She looked beautiful to him, but what he couldn't understand was why her body color was that of both blue and a lighter blue on her tender under belly and also in the middle of her forehead was that of a jewel.

He walked closer to her, slowly, he instinct was screaming for him to run or take it slow. She looked at him with cautious eyes as she wondered what it was that he was going to do next.

'_Ari, you look beautiful for your Dragon avatar. Just what did you do to transform into it?'_ he asked her, nuzzling her cheek softly.

'_I have no idea. Just that I felt my heart had wings and I just let it be or go?'_ she replied honestly back to him as he nodded and then looked more closely at her head jewel.

'_You have a jewel on your forehead. I wonder what that is supposed to mean?'_ he asked more to himself then to her.

She suddenly hissed and bared her sharp pointed teeth at him when he got too close to it. He backed away from her at once as he didn't understand why.

"Arienne, it's okay, it's just us," Donny said to her as she swung her around to look at him.

He groaned and winced as he felt her talk in his mind.

'_He was too close to my jewel on my forehead. I wasn't upset that your family and you are watching. Come in but you are warned that we are a bit temperamental so watch what you say,'_ she told him in a furious hiss.

"Donny, you okay?" Raph asked him seeing how his brother was in pain.

"Yeah, just when they talk to you, it's like having a severe headache. It's okay. She's just upset that Leo got to close-"

"Hey, what's that jewel on her forehead?" Mikey asked him, listening but not really paying attention.

"I don't know but don't get too close to it. Arienne got upset with Leo on that," Donny expressed, pulling Mikey back and keeping him there, as what it looked like Leo and Ari got into a yelling or growling match with one another.

The ground somewhat shook as Ari tackled Leo to the ground and nuzzled his tender exposed neck.

'_Very funny Ari, but you win this match,'_ he thought to her as she flared her wings in joy.

She laid down on him as he felt like he shouldn't be on his back. Then again he wasn't his turtle self.

'_I'm still very curious on what your brother's avatars look like,'_ she said to him as he looked at his worried brothers and their father.

'_I can see them in their bodies. Just that you have to wait until they meet their mate, only then can they transform into their avatars,'_ he said but a deeper voice came through him.

Ari looked at Leo who looked unsure of who that was speaking through him.

'_I want to change back into my human form, please?'_ she said but it wasn't going to be that easy.

* * *

CRASH!

"AH!" Miranda screamed when the window of her science lab was broken into.

But what she didn't see was a woman laying there, gasping for air, wanting to keep moving but her body just refused to go any further.

"S-s-someone…Help me…" she stammered for calling for help.

Miranda looked around with a clothe over her nose and mouth as she saw the woman but yelled back in utter surprise. This was no normal woman; this was a mixture of a lizard and woman.

"Someone…please…" This creature begged as it got to Miranda's heart; she couldn't refuse someone needing help.

She walked over to her gently and carefully as she then locked eyes with this woman.

Her brown warm chocolate eyes were filled with terror and fear.

"It's okay I am not here to hurt you," Miranda said surprising herself.

The woman nodded before they heard "You men. Check over there!"

"Oh no," the woman said under her breathe as she forced herself to sit up and leaned against Miranda.

Miranda crouched and looked where they could hide.

"In the cell, come on," she whispered to her new friend as she helped her up on wobbly legs and then over to the cell where they kept their exports of medicines to the world.

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

The reptile woman started to tremble and shake with utter terror as the men then said "The signal is getting stronger over here Mr. Bishop,"

* * *

As Ari and Leo were both back into their human forms again, cuddling with one another, they heard a loud beeping coming from Donny's lab. All of them gathered as they wondered what was going on.

"AH! Get away from me!" They heard from the shell cell that Miranda took.

"What the hell?" Ari asked as Donny and everyone listened in.

"Ah, Professor Taylor, so nice of you to keep my experiment for me," Bishop said almost too sweetly.

Ari, Leo, Donny and Mikey gasped as Donny whispered "Minya,"

"Stay away from us! I called for backup Bishop!" Miranda snapped at him fearful but determined to protect whoever it was.

"Don't let him take me, please!" Another voice entered the picture as it caught Raph's attention at once.

The guys went into action at once, mostly that of Donny and Raph. Leo was in the lead as Mikey and Master Splinter were going to stay in the lair to protect Arienne.

The guys got up to the surface swiftly, but when Ari texted that Bishop might have gotten Miranda, something within Donatello changed completely.

"No! He won't get her!" he growled as he glowed suddenly and dashed much faster than before and away from his brothers.

"Whoa…Donny, wait up for us!" Raph said as Leo and him tried to keep up with him but were a bit too slow.

Where Miranda was with a shivering Mona Lisa behind her, Bishop's men and Bishop himself had cornered them.

"Now my dear, just move away from experiment 3 and I will let you live," Bishop said very calmly and overly sweet.

"No! How could you do this in the name of science! You're a monster!" Miranda snapped back, putting her body in front of Mona Lisa's as Bishop grounded his teeth.

Two prongs jetted out and sank into Miranda's forearms as she put them up to protect herself.

A scream could be heard as Donny raced to reach them. When he got there however, he transformed into his own avatar; smaller then before but still just as dangerous.

Raph and Leo caught up to him panting, but when they both saw the windows broken in; glass everywhere you stepped, desks turned over with paper scattered like leaves from a tree.

"Donny?" Leo called out to him as he looked around, Raph walking right behind him knowing what his brother was capable of when messed with of his soul mate.

A growl came from the hallway as the two brothers darted out and followed the growling until they heard a loud growling cry. They didn't know what had happened but, they ran to the farthest door and slowly went inside.

* * *

Ari was pacing. She was driving Mikey nuts from all of the walking to and fore.

"They will be okay, Arienne," Mikey tried to calm her nerves down.

"I don't think so Mikey," Ari replied back to him extremely worried now.

"Ari do you copy?" Came Leo's voice over her shell cell as she picked it up.

"Leo? Are you alright? Did you"

"Bishop has Miranda and Donny is highly upset. I want all of you to meet us at the farm house. The city is too much for us right now," he interrupted her as she, Mikey and Master Splinter gasped.

"Bishop!?" Both Mikey and Master Splinter said at once.

"Who's Bishop?" Ari asked Leo, fearing for her friend.

"Just go back to your house, Mikey and Master Splinter will follow you-AH! DONNY, NO!" Leo said to her and then they heard something before the phone line was disconnected.

"My sons!" Master Splinter said as Ari then went into the medical bay.

She got a medical bag out from it as she put a lot of Master Splinter's heart medication in it, running back towards Donny's lab and room and then looked at the two who nodded for them to go to her place.

As they made their way to her place all three had been on alert. Mikey and Ari weren't that much acquainted but, he took her hand into his as he guided her safely to her home.

"What do we need?" he asked her seriously.

"Me to get my clothes, Minny's stuff and bring some food. I'm guessing that April and Casey hasn't been up to the farm house in a while?" she said looking at Mikey and Master Splinter.

"No, they haven't my dear," Master Splinter replied as she nodded.

"Mikey get the food, Master Splinter, please help him out while I get my stuff," she said going inside and they did just that.

It took them a while to get everything ready as Ari then started up her car and drove them all to the farm house.

Her mind and heart were on Leo, she was terribly worried about him. Mikey told her what roads to take and such as she drove them to the farm house.

"Turn right at the dirt road and you should see it," He told her softly as she saw it and turned onto it.

She pulled up to an empty spot as then an old car pulled up next to her. It was April and Casey.

"April, Casey, where are Raphael and Leonardo?" Master Splinter said when he got out of the front seat.

"We don't know. They cut out about 10 minutes ago," April replied as Ari looked at her before turning away.

Mikey shook his head and said "Don't they know how much we are worried about not just them but also that of Donny too?"

They got inside as Ari was in the loft and stayed out of the way. It was getting late in the evening, the storm was slowly picking up out here in the country but, no one saw her tears.

"Leo, there you are!" She heard Casey's voice.

"Bro, I wouldn't go upstairs if I was you," Mikey then told him seriously.

"Why? I have to make"

"You hurt her again Leo," Mikey cut him off as everyone was silent now.

"W...What? How?" he asked him speechless.

"You kept in contact with April and Casey but not with her. How do you think she feels about you staying in contact with our friends but not the one true person who loves you with your soul?" Mikey said and looked him squarely in the eyes.

Looking down at the hard wood floors, Leo felt ashamed.

"I would make her something to eat and if she doesn't want it leave her alone," Mikey then told him as he walked upstairs.

Casey, Raph, April and Master Splinter watched what Leonardo would do now. Going with his youngest brother's idea, he walked into the kitchen and started to make Ari's dinner.

Forty five minutes later, Leo was balancing a food tray with food on top of it as he slowly made his way upstairs. He looked around the loft when he spotted Ari, fast asleep on the old mattress.

Not knowing what to do now, he walked up and over to her as he gently put the tray in front of her.

"I found her like this. I don't know what she took but she's out like a light," Mikey's soft voice came from behind him.

"Cold medicine. I really messed this up huh Mikey?" he said walking over to him and sitting down.

"No offense Leo, but have you forgotten how much you put her through? The two years that you just abandoned her because you knew our enemies were going to find out about her?" He asked him looking at Ari.

"I know, I know alright-?"

"I don't think you do know Leo," Mikey cut in and gave him a hard glare.

Leo looked at him and saw something strange within Mikey's eyes. They weren't blue anymore…they were hazel brown.

"A...Ari?" he asked confusedly.

"You don't know what it was like for her Leo," Mikey said to him as he looked at his younger brother again and saw his eyes were blue again.

"Then tell me Mikey, what it was because I knew that I couldn't go to her in the future! She wasn't alive there! Or how about the Shredder wanting to erase all of whom and what we are by going to the Turtle Prime?" Leo suddenly snapped at him.

"Have you ever thought of what it would be like to lose Master Splinter? To suddenly have to be on your own? That your parent that you have known since you were born was suddenly gone? She lost her parents Leo, she didn't have you there to help her out or to lean to. She had no one but her friend Miranda! Sure she has that place in her heart for you, but"

"But what Michelangelo?! That I knew that I have screwed up? That I am trying to fix the wrong that I have given her? I'm not stupid as you think I am right now!" Leo yelled at him; his tribunal signs glowing now.

"I'm just saying, oldest brother that you need to understand what she has gone through. I can't tell her story, but when you do listen or try to at least, it will break who and what you are," Mikey said as he got up and walked downstairs.

Leo let his anger go as he was stunned.

'It will break who and what I am? How? I have been trying to make it up to Ari for the longest time, but what was it that she went through that was so horrible?' he asked himself looking over at his girlfriend who was fast asleep.

But the more that he looked at her, the more that he saw that she was pale, tears had run down her face and it looked like she was alone.

"She isn't alone anymore," he said to himself as he walked over to her, gently got on the other side of the mattress and hugged her close to him.

As Leo fell asleep, a dragon landed heavily on the lawn as he changed back into his normal turtle self. Donatello had slowly and wobbly got to his feet as everyone but Ari and Leo came rushing to him.

"Donny!"

"Are you okay my son?"

"Donny dude! Thank god that you're alright,"

April just hugged him as they brought him inside the house.

He sat down in the arm chair and said "I'm alright…just hungry,"

Mikey nodded and headed straight for the kitchen.

"Where did you go bro?" Raph asked him.

"You guys won't believe where I went, but Mikey, where are you?" Donny said as he got up slowly and walked to his youngest brother.

Mikey came out as they whispered to one another as Raph tapped his foot at them impatiently.

"Will you tell us what happen already?" Raph growled at them.

"Sorry, Raph, but I went to Nevada," Donny told him.

"What!? Why?" Raph said loudly, shocked.

"Because that is where Bishop took Miranda and another girl," Donny told him.

Everyone gasped at that.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note:**_

**Okay I know that I have not updated in a long time. Been getting over my cold :P. Also within this chapter, I am putting some of my own experiences within it. **

**I didn't get raped, but I do know what it's like. Sexually assaulted isn't the same, but the experience is still strong. So to answer your question if Arienne did get rape: Yes she did while Leo was away.**

**Also thank you to my reviewers who have been with this fanfic from day one. I hope you guys enjoy this and please feel free to read and review.**

* * *

_**Chapter 9.**_

Slowly her hazel brown eyes opened and even though she wanted to close them again, she knew she had to get up. Last night, she felt horrible. She felt all alone all over again.

Ari felt the hot stinging tears threatening to burst from under her closed eyelids. The hurt that was in her heart was quiet this time since she has been so use to it now. How it felt like it was a raging beast wanting to break free, but under a very tight control, Ari handled it the best she could.

She would distract herself by reading, swimming, going for long walks in the park, watching movies in the theaters or hanging out in the mall. Anything to get her mind away from that period of time within her life.

Many times she had wondered what it would be like to just disappear. She knew her older brothers wouldn't care all that much. She had a falling out with them after their dad died. She wanted nothing to do with them.

In the distance, a yell, a crash and a "Casey Arnold Jones!" could be head with from Casey "Get this rooster off of me!"

From the sound of it, Ari sighed shaking her head as she felt a heavy arm moved and a body snuggle closer to her. Slowly glancing back behind her, Arienne saw Leo.

He didn't have his gear on. His double katanas were resting at the foot of the mattress, his mask was off too as she saw his face bare.

The lines of forwarding his eyebrow ridges were taking a toll as deep lines were forming. He suddenly looked older then he was as she swallowed nervously on what to do. She had to get up but not also in the due process, wake up her boyfriend.

'_My boyfriend…I still can't get use to it. Sure I love Leo, but this is all still new to me,'_ she thought but didn't see her tribunal signs glowing.

'_It's still new to me as well Ari,'_ she heard Leo's voice in her mind but she didn't feel the headache.

Turning around she looked and saw that he wasn't awake but, still sleeping it looked like.

'_Are you awake?'_ she asked him.

'_Almost but I want to apologize for yesterday. I keep forgetting that some events took place while I was gone. I want to understand it better, I want to correct things between the two us. Please Ari, Ai, please let me inside that beautiful brain of yours to see what happened?'_ he replied back, his arm tighten his hold on her as she didn't know what to think.

She snuggled into him but softly sighed. She was holding back on telling him.

"I can't show or tell you just yet," She whispered softly as he slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times.

"Why not? I have been through a lot-"

"It's not that you haven't Leo, it's just that I don't want you to _kill_ is all," she cut him off as he looked surprised at her.

"Kill?" he repeated back to her but let her words sink in.

He looked down at her, trying to figure what it was that hurt her so badly. He knew it was about her parents; something happened to them and scarred her. But what was it that had her so tightly guarded on this?

She snuggled into his neck and stayed there, he felt her body shiver as he then softly whispered in pure surprise "No,"

She clung onto him as he tightened his hold onto her and glared harshly at the wall across the loft. He had connected the dots, he knew what had happened to his beloved Arienne but, he couldn't do anything about it now. This happened during the time that he was gone, in the past but he would so very much take it all back.

They stayed like that for some time, even when Master Splinter came up to see what was going on, he saw that Leo was holding Ari very tightly to him with his eyes closed.

Turning around and walking silently back downstairs, he left them alone. He knew better then to mess with true love.

Mikey, Don and Raph all practiced outside as Raph complained.

"Why are we busting our butts while Leo gets to stay inside?" he growled.

"Raphael, focus your mind to the task at hand. Worry about Leonardo later, for he is hurting very deeply," Master Splinter told him as he ill tempered son sighed.

"I just would like to know why he gets to skip out on this while he is-"

"Raphael enough! I saw with my own eyes that your older brother has come to know of some information that Arienne has not told anyone about," Master Splinter snapped at him as everyone was quiet.

"I know of it Sensei," Mikey whispered low as he moved his foot around.

Everyone looked at him as he then explained "It was while she was sleeping or faking to be asleep the other night. I heard her voice in my head and even though the headache hurt…she showed me what had happened to her while all of us were gone. I can't tell you of what happened because she asked of me not to. It's just that, I wish we could have taken her to the future with us or none of it would have happened,"

A heavy silence settled around them all as April then said softly "Mikey, did she get hurt while you guys were-"

"April, hurt doesn't describe what happened to her. But please, don't ask anymore because I don't want to break the small trust that she has in me," Mikey cut her off as they nodded.

Donny was thinking but his mind was half worried on Minya and the girl that were taken by Bishop and the other half on his oldest brother and Arienne.

"Whoa, easy Donny," Raph said to him when he saw his older brother glowing again.

"I just want to find Minya; I want to make sure that she is alright. Why are we sitting here when we could be looking for her and that woman?" he snapped angrily.

"My son, we were worried about you and if anyone would see you," Their father softly told him, as Donny looked down at the ground.

The quietness of the country was cut with loud popping bangs sounds of that of a gun, a shrilling scream and helicopters. The brothers gasped as did Casey and April.

"What…" April said shocked as the brothers darted into the forest with Casey Jones right behind them.

Meanwhile, up in the loft of the farm house, Leo held Ari tightly to him. He didn't want to let go of her. He didn't want to accept what happened to her, but he had no other choice.

"Ari, whenever you are ready to tell me of it, I will listen. No matter how much I get upset at the situation, I will listen," Leo whispered softly to her.

She looked up at him and softly said "I can't ever tell you Leo,"

Confusion rippled over his face as he asked "Is it too much?"

"To relive, yes,"

"I wonder if with our Dragon avatars, I can see it."

"It's worth a try,"

"I have something to tell you as well. Something that happened while I was away from you,"

"And what is that?"

* * *

"Mikey! Get your head down!" Raph growled as he pulled his baby brother down behind a fallen log.

Bullets were flying everywhere, not really aiming at the three brothers but, the one who kept on getting closer was Donnie.

A woman lay unconscious just five or so feet from him and he knew from just glancing at her hair, that she wasn't his Minya.

'_Must be the person that Minya was trying to protect from Bishop.' _He thought as two pair of Sais went sailing through the air and embedded themselves into two semi automatic guns.

Using all of his strength on his Bo staff, Donnie leapt into the air as two large exploding sounds went off. Gently cradling the creature in his arms, he picked her up and then jumped into some bushes off to the side.

"He's got her, let's go!" Mikey said to them.

"Not without my Sais!" Raph replied back as he ran towards the remaining troop as they fired off at him.

* * *

Leo sighed as he lay on his shell and was looking up at the ceiling. Arienne had snuggled onto his chest and waited patiently. Her soft finger drawing lines on his chest plates were sweet torture.

A soft churr was then heard as she looked up at him.

"Sorry, just feels good," he said in a much deeper voice to her.

Her eyes saw how dilated his eyes were getting, how his heart thumped even more as he sucked in more oxygen into his lungs.

"I guess it is true, that turtles _love_ to be brushed?" she teased him as he blushed deeply.

Downstairs the backdoor flew open as it made both Ari and Leo jumped. His arm was instantly around her body as she was pulled into his left side for protection.

"Easy, Donatello," They heard Master Splinter say as Leo sighed in a small amount of relief that it was just their family.

"Want to get up and check it out?" Leo asked Ari as she nodded and got up with his help.

The two made it slowly downstairs as they saw Donnie running silently too and fore from the kitchen, to the living room and back.

"Donnie?" Ari asked him confusedly.

"We're all alright. Just this uh…woman? Is not," he said unsure of what to call this female creature.

"What happened?" Leo asked walking around the couch and then gasped. "What the hell?"

"Minya was protecting someone. I'm guessing this is her. She's got a wound on her forearm, legs and …tail?" Donnie said shocked at the end when he checked over the lizard like woman.

Arienne walked over to see her as she saw a mop of a hair, green scaly skin with five webbed fingers, a long lizard like tail and normal five webbed toes.

"She was human before they experimented on her," She said as a sudden hush came over the rooms.

Leo looked at Arienne who had wrapped her arms around her stomach, like she was in pain there but the anguish that settled almost too nicely on her face, told another story.

"Ari?" he asked her out of concern.

"When I was with Stockman…he started to call me number 4. I could never understand why that was until I heard screaming within another room. I heard it through the ventilation systems within that building. I can't seem to get those kinds of screams out of my head," She softly told them all as they all looked at her.

"Did you see anyone there while you were held captive?" Master Splinter asked her, encouraging her to open now.

"I thought I did the first day that I was there. I just saw a shadow, a creature fighting within the hands of the people who were working for Stockman. She was the one who was screaming in that operating room. What they did to or on her I have no idea, but it must have been so painful," Ari replied as her voice was distant, her eyes and inner mind were back in Florida.

A soft touch on top of her hand snapped her out of her memories as she jerked herself backwards as her eyes held tightly shut.

"It's okay, it's just me," Leo soft told her.

He had learned from Donnie to just tap the top of her hand softly so that he wouldn't freak her out more so if he put his arm around her.

"Ari, it's just me," Leo said softly again, this time taking a small step forward as she slowly relaxed and opened her eyes one at a time.

Very carefully, Leo wrapped his arms around her and with his body blocking her view from his family, she relaxed against him.

While Leo was taking care of Ari, Donnie was fixing and taking out the three bullets from this female creature. After he had done that, he quickly sewed up the wounds and wrapped them up.

"Donnie, is she going to make it?" Raph asked him, suddenly showing a lot of interest in this creature.

"Yes she will, just she needs some rest. How's your foot?" he replied as he then turned his attention to his younger brother's injury.

"Just a sprain, nothing new," Raph replied with a careless shrug.

Mikey saw the tribunal signs glow on his smart brother and said softly "We'll get her back Donnie. Try not to worry too much,"

"Yes my son, your youngest brother is right. It will be best if you do not worry as much right now. From what I have heard of Miranda, she is a tough person," their father said as Donnie sighed heavily.

"It's just what Arienne just told us. What if they are experimenting on her right now? I want her back, and I'll do anything to get her to safety. Even if it means costing my life," Donnie pledged to them.

April then said "We know you are willing to do that Donnie, but for now, please relax?"

With her soothing words, Donnie did but it was difficult to do. His brilliant mind was working ten times greater than the speed of light.

Over in the corner, Leo held Ari close to him. He had heard his family talking but something within him didn't feel right.

"Leo-?"

Suddenly a bright white light glowed where both Ari and Leo stood but now they were in their dragon avatars.

Growling and hissing could be heard from the two but, Ari was looking at Leo. Directly into his golden eyes.

He stood rigid, staring deeply back into her hazel brown eyes. His long tail curled around his body as if he was ready to strike it against anyone, but no one dared to move over to them.

"What do we do now that they're like this?" Casey asked hesitantly.

"Leave them be," Mikey said, knowing exactly what Ari was doing.

Master Splinter, April, Raph, Donnie and Casey all looked at him.

"She did this with me yesterday. She's telling her tale to Leo on when we were not here. It nearly broke my heart on what I saw," he elaborated to them.

"Master Splinter, I'm about to make some tea and food, would you like to join me?" April said, hinting for them to move away from living room.

"Yes, April, I think that is a good idea," he said as Mikey and Raph with Casey joined them in the kitchen to help make a meal for everyone.

* * *

He watched how her parents passed away. Her father was nicer towards the end of his life, but that still didn't make up for how harsh he was towards his own daughter. Her mother, died of cancer.

Leo saw how many nights she had cried, wishing he was there to just comfort her. The pain she felt within her soul he suddenly felt within his own.

'_Ari…'_ he thought to her, knowing she could hear him.

'_That isn't the worst of it Leonardo,'_ she thought back to him as many more memories popped up.

The fall with her brothers, getting robbed, harassed at work, walking the paths of Central Park in the afternoons. But also no matter what, he saw her look out the window, waiting for him.

In the back of Leonardo's mind, he sensed what he had discovered was about to show in front of him. Realizing it was one thing, but to see it with his own eyes was something else.

'_Ari, if this is too much for-'_

'_No Leo. You ..You-'_

'_My dear one, you do not need to show me of when you were raped. I will promise you that I will take it slow with us. I will not push you towards anything if you do not like it or anything like that. Please, trust me on this?'_ he told her after she cut him off the first time.

She snapped him out of her mind as she opened her eyes looked up at him. She was lying down on the hardwood floors and looked up at him. He was standing there but when he opened his own eyes, he gently nudged her to stand with his nose.

She got up as he pushed her a bit, herding her towards the fireplace as he then laid down on the rug. Standing there, not sure of what he would do, she laid down next him as she felt his chin lay against her body.

They didn't realize that it was night out now but with the warmth of the fire place roaring, they snuggled against one another.

'_You need to know who did it Leo,'_ she said to him in his mind.

'_Just tell me. I won't go crazy, not with Donnie and Raph watching us and the lizard woman like a hawk,'_ he replied back.

'_One of the Purple Dragons and it wasn't Hun. I couldn't get his name,'_ she said to him.

His body tense as he hissed at that. He hated the Purple Dragons with a sever passion. Now, he wanted to destroy them all.

"Easy Leo, we're just making sure you two are alright," Raph said to him.

Leo swung his head up and around as he growled deeply with _'I wasn't growling at you so don't assume so much Raph!'_

Raph groaned from the intense headache that he got from when Leo spoke to him in his mind.

"I take it he talked to you in your mind?" Donnie asked Raph as he sat down in the recliner.

"Yeah, now I know what you and Mikey felt like. Uhg," he groaned out and rested there.

"Leo, dinner is in the kitchen if you and Arienne want it," Donnie informed them.

Leo looked over at Donnie and then softened his face, as he nodded but, turned back around as he rested his head on Ari's shoulder.

As the hours ticked by, Donnie had fallen asleep while Raph took over to watch their new guest. Something about her, stirred something within the hotheaded Ninja Turtle. A sudden calmness over came him that he has been looking for nearly his whole life.

"I wonder if _this_ is how Leo feels when he is with his girlfriend," he grumbled low as he glanced over to the two sleeping dragons.

The female creature on the couch just moaned and moved her head a bit. Raph suddenly stilled, holding his breath as he watched this female creature's movement. She settled down again as Raph very gently moved her hair out of her face.

It didn't bother him that she looked more like a lizard but he couldn't stop staring at her either.

"Don't you worry, we'll protect you from Bishop and his men," Raph vowed before he lie down on the floor and fell asleep there.

In the morning, before the sun had its chance to rise above the earth, Leo and Ari were outside. Both in their dragon avatars but, something was making them restless and they didn't want to wake up the others.

Leo was slowly standing up on his hind legs as he wanted to go through his Katas but, Ari stood up right in front him as she had a joyful glint in her hazel brown eyes.

'_Don't even-'_ he began but she started to tickle him as he wiggled and laughed though it sounded more like hissing.

He was on his back showing his tender under belly to her as she shifted into her human form as Leo was suddenly very large to her now.

Leo may be small when he is in his dragon avatar but he was just over 18 feet tall and 22 feet long. 18 feet tall is the same size as a Giraffe mind you.

Rolling onto his side Leo was about to move when they both heard a scream from within the house and then shrieking of Mikey. Quickly transforming, Leo and Ari ran back towards the house as Leo kicked opened the front door with his katanas out and ready as he looked around the living room.

Ari got a good view of the creature woman, hurrying and shaking away from Mikey, Raph, Donnie, Master Splinter, Casey and April on the stair case.

"It's okay," she said, walking slowly forward, making eye contact with the female lizard.

"Stay back! Please!" she cried out to her.

Ari held her ground, not walking closer but softly replying "It's okay, we're not here to hurt you. You know my friend, Professor Miranda, she was there helping you against the bad guys,"

The female lizard looked at her as if she was a friend but stayed far away from Ari and the others. Mikey was slowly picking up the breakfast tray of discarded food on the floor.

"It's okay, we're all friends here," Leo said, letting Ari lead this one.

"W-w-who are you? Did you …get taken and...change into what you are now?" the female lizard asked the brothers as looked at one another.

"Miss," Raph softly began. "We weren't taken from anywhere. We were normal turtles before the TCRI ooze fell onto us when we were just barely a few days old. Master Splinter helped guide us throughout our lives and we consider him our father,"

She nodded taking this in as Master Splinter then softly asked "What is your name, child?"

The female lizard looked down at the ground and then said "They gave me a number or be called by Mona Lisa, but my real name is Lisa Moyna,"

"It is nice to meet Lisa," April began. "I'm April Jones, this is my husband Casey Jones and these are our friends. Master Splinter, Leonardo and his girlfriend Arienne Lynn, Donatello, Raphael and their youngster brother Michelangelo,"

Lisa looked around at them all, taking in from one brother to the next, but her eyes finally landed on Raph.

"We're not going to hurt you," Raph softly told her as she slowly nodded to him.

"You were glowing…" she said back as Donnie looked at Raph and then back Lisa.

"It's not normal with us; however it would be a long story to tell you-"

"I have time," she cut Donnie inserted on how they came to be but sat down on the steps.

So Donnie, Raph and with a little help of Mikey, they all told her the stories of what happened to them over the past years.

Ari nudged Leo to come to the bathroom as he nodded to her.

After the door was closed and locked, Leo looked around the cramped space and looked down at his girlfriend.

She wrapped her arms around Leo and then softly leaned up and kissed him. He was unsure of what was going on with her, he was worried but, he softly returned the kisses.

"My hip hurts, where I had my stitches," she told him after pulling back.

He looked down at it and then back up at her, silently asking her to show him. She nodded and pulled her pants down to show that there wasn't any kind of redness but the way she was holding herself Leo knew she was in pain.

"We'll have Donnie take a look, maybe we missed something," he said worriedly.

"Okay," she replied as she softly pulled her pants back up as she was blushing.

Leo wrapped her in his arms and held her until someone knocked on the door.

That day, Lisa was getting more comfortable around the guys and would not tell anyone of what they are, though Raphael doting to her every second was a bit much.

Mikey found it funny for the first hour or so but after a while, it was a bit disturbing. Ari was with Donnie as he was looking her over upstairs.

Leo was sitting down as her pillow as he kept her calm. He knew how much she hated being poked and prodded.

"I'm not finding anything unless it's in your hip Arienne," Donnie said to her as she sighed.

"How…how long will I be under?" she asked him frightened.

Leo softly rubbed her legs and looked over at his brother.

"I don't know, but I think you would need an MRI or scan of some sort within your hip area first. Which we don't have," Don told her as she nodded.

A soft whine of the floor board caught their attention as Leo then said "Mikey, if it's-"

"No, it's just me, Lisa. I think I can help if you will let me?" she said still staying near the stairs.

"It's okay Lisa, you can come over to us," Ari told her soothingly.

She walked up the remaining steps and shyly over to where they all were.

"What do you know of what is going on with Ari?" Leo asked her softly, not wanting to scare her off since she was getting use to them still.

"Well…Within all of us who were captured and been in captivity with that of Stockman, he put …"


End file.
